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W.  L.  WALLACE. 


True  RELIGION  delineated^ 

o  R5 

EXPERIMENTAL  RELIGION, 

As  diftinguifhed  from  FORMALITY  on  the  one  Hand,  and 
ENTHUSIASM  on  the  other,  fefc  in  a  Scriptural  and 
Rational  Light. 

In  Two  D  I  S  BOURSES. 

In  which  fome  of  the  principal  Errors  both  of  the 
ARMINIANS  and  ANTINOMIANS  are  confuted,  the 
Foundation  and  Superftruftureof  their  different  Schemes 
demolifhed,  and  the  Truth  as  it  is  in  JESUS,  explained 
and  proved. 

The  whole  adapted  to  the  weakeft  Capacities,  and  defigned  for  the 
Eftabliftiment,  Comfort  and  Quickening  of  the  People  of  GOD, 
in  thefe  Evil  Times. 


By  Jofeph  Bellamy^  A.  M. 

Minifter  of  the  Gofpel  at  Retblem  in  Ccnnefticut. 

With  a  Preface  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  EDWARDS, 


Ifai.  xxx.  2 1 .  And  thine  Earsjhall  hear  a  Word  behind  thee,  faying, 
is  the  Way,  walk  ye  in  it,  when  ye  turn  to  the  right  Hand,    and  when 
ye  turn  to  the  left. 

Matth.  vii.  13,  14.  Enter  y»  in  at  the  f  rait  Gate  ;  for  wide  is  the  Gatef 
and  broad  is  the  Way  that  leadeth  to  Definition,  and  many  there  he 
which  go  in  thereat  :  "Becaufe  Jlrait  is  the  Gate,  and  narrow  if  the 
which  leadeth  unto  &fet  and  few  there  he  that  fnd  it. 


BOSTON: 

6*984  *?4  Sdd  ty  Si  KNEE  L  A  N  P,  yi  Q«ecn-S?«rti    x  7  S 


PREFACE. 


Being  of  GOD  is  reckoned  the 
firft,  greateft  and  moft  funda 
mental  of  all  Things  that  are  the 
Objeds  of  Knowledge  or  Belief. 
And  next  to  that  muft  be  reckon' d  the  Nature 
of  that  Religion,  which  God  requires  of  us, 
and  muft  be  found  in  us,  in  order  to  our  en 
joying  the  Benefits  of  God's  Favour  :  Or  ra 
ther  this  may  be  efteemed  of  like  Importance 
with  the  other ;  for  it  in  like  Manner  concerns 
us  to  know  how  we  may  honour  and  pleafe 
God,  and  be  accepted  of  Him,  as  it  concerns 
us  to  know  that  he  has  a  Being.  This  is  a 
Point  of  infinite  Confequence  to  every  fiingle 
Perfon  ;  each  one.having  to  do  with  God  as 
his  fupreme  Judge,  who  will  fix  his  eternal 

A  2  State, 


C   a   3 

State,  according  as  he  finds  him  to  be  wit& 
or  without  true  Religion.  And  this  is  alfo 
a  Point  that  vaftly  concerns  the  publick  In- 
terefts  of  the  Church  of  God. 

It  is  very  apparent,  that  the  Want  of  thoro' 
Diftindion  in  this  Matter,  thro'  the  Defed:  ei 
ther  of  fufficient  Difcerning  or  Care,  has  been 
the  cljief  Thing  that  has  obfcured,  obftrudcd 
and  brought  to  a  Stand  all  remarkable  Revi 
vals  of  Religion,  which  have  been  fince  the 
Beginning  of  the  Reformation  ;  the  very 
chief  Reafon  why  the  moft  hopeful  and  pro- 
mifing  Beginnings  have  never  come  to  any 
more  than  Beginnings ;  being  nipt  in  the  Bud, 
and  foon  followed  with  a  great  Increafe  of 
Stupidity,  corrupt  Principles,  a  profane  and 
atheiftical  Spirit,  and  the  Triumph  of  the 
open  Enemies  of  Religion.  And  from  hence, 
and  from  what  has  been  fo  evident  fromTime 
to  Time  in  thefe  latter  Ages  of  the  Church, 
and  from  the  fmall  Acquaintance  I  have  with 
the  Hiftory  of  preceding  Times ;  I  can't  but 
think,  that  if  the  Events  which  have  appear'd 
from  Age  to  Age,  (hould  be  carefully  exa 
mined  and  confldered,  it  would  appear  that 
it  has  been  thus  in  all  Ages  •of  the  Chriftian 
Church  from  the  Beginning. 

They 


[    Hi    ] 

They  therefore  who  bring  any  Addition  of 
Light  to  this  great  Subjed,  The  Nature  of 
true  Religion,  and  its  -Diftinttion  from  all 
Counterfeits,  fhould  be  accepted  as  doing  the 
greateft  poflible  Service  to  the  Church  of 
God.  And  Attempts  to  this  End  ought  not 
to  be  defpifed  and  difcouraged,  under  a  No 
tion  that  it  is  but  Vanity  and  Arrogance  in 
fuch  as  are  lately  iprung  up  in  an  obfcure 
Part  of  the  World,  to  pretend  to  add  any 
Thing  on  this  Subjeft,  to  the  Informations 
we  have  long;  iince  received  from  their  Fa- 

o 

thers,  who  have  lived  in  former  Times,  in 
NEW-ENGLAND,  and  more  noted  Coun 
tries.  We  cannot  fuppofe,  that  the  Church 
of  God  is  already  poffefied  of  all  that  Light, 
in  Things  of  this  Nature,  that  ever  God 
intends  to  give  it ;  nor  that  all  Satan  s  Lurk 
ing-Places  have  already  been  found  out. 
And  muft  we  let  that  grand  Adverfary  alone 
in  his  Devices,  to  enfiiare  &  ruin  the  Souls  of 
Men,  and  confound  the  Intereft  of  Religion 
amongft  us  ;  without  attempting  to  know 
any  Thing  further  of  his  Wiles,  than  others 
have  told  us ;  tho'  we  fee  every  Day  the  moft 
fatalEffefts  of  his  hitherto  unobferved  Snares ; 
for  Fear  we  fhall  be  guilty  of  Vanity  orWant 
of  Modefty,  in  attempting  to  difcern  any 

Thing 


Thing  that  was  not  fully  obferved  by  our 
Betters  in  former  Times  ?  And  that,  what 
ever  peculiar  Opportunities  God  gives  us,  by 
fpecial  Diipenfations  of  his  Providence,  to  fee 
fome  Things  that  were  over-look'dby  them  ? 

!The  remarkable  Things  that  have  come  to 
pafs  in  late  Times,  refpeding  the  State  of  Re 
ligion,  I  think,  will  give  every  wife  Obferver 
great  Reafon  to  determine  that  the  Counter 
feits  of  the  Grace  of  God's  Spirit,  are  many 
more  than  have  been  generally  taken  Notice 
of  heretofore  ;  and  that  therefore  we  ftand 
in  great  Need  of  having  the  certain  and 
diftinguifhing  Nature  and  Marks  of  genuine 
Religion  more  clearly  and  diftin&ly  fet  forth 
than  has  been  ufual ;  fb  that  the  Difference 
between  that  and  every  Thing  that  is  fpurious 
may  be  more  plainly  and  furely  difcern'd, 
and  fafely  determined. 

As  Enquiries  of  this  Nature  are  very  im 
portant  and  neceflary  in  Themfelves,  fo  they 
are  what  the  prefent  State  of  Religion  in 
NEW-ENGLAND,  and  other  Parts  of  the 
Britijh  Dominions ,  do  in  a  peculiar  Manner 
render  neceffary  at  this  Seafon  ;  and  alfo  do 
give  peculiar  Opportunity  for  Difcoveries  be 
yond 


yoftd  what  has  been  for  a  long  Time.  Satan 
transforming  himfelf  into  an  Angel  of  Light, 
has  fhewn  himfelf  in  many  of  his  Artifices 
more  plainly  than  ordinary  ;  and  given  us 
Opportunity  to  fee  more  clearly  and  exactly 
the  Difference  between  his  Operations,  and 
the  faving  Operations  and  Fruits  of  the  Spirit 
of  Chrift  :  And  we  fhould  be  much  to 
Blame,  if  we  did  not  improve  fuch  an  Ad 
vantage. 


The  Author  of  the  enfuing  Treatife  has 
not  been  negligent  of  thefe  Opportunities. 
He  has  not  been  an  unwary  or  undifcerning 
Obferver  of  Events  that  have  occur'd,  thefe 
ten  Years  paft.  From  the  intimate  Acquain 
tance  with  him,  which  I  have  been  favoured 
with  for  many  Years,  I  have  abundant  Rea- 
fon  to  be  fatisfied  that  what  has  governed  him 
in  this  Publication,  is  no  Vanity  of  Mind, 
no  Affectation  to  appear  in  the  World  as  an 
Author,  nor  any  Before  of  Applaufe  ;  but 
a  hearty  Concern  for  the  Glory  of  GOD,  and 
the  Kingdom  and  Intereft  of  his  Lord  and 
Mafter  JESUS  CHRIST  ;  And,  that  as  to  the 
main  Things  he  here  infifts  on,  as  belonging 
to  the  diftinguifhing  Nature  and  Effence  of 
true  Religion,  he  declares  them,  not  only 

as 


as  being  fatisfied  of  them  from  a  careful  Con- 
iideration  of  important  Fa6ts  (which  he  has 
had  great  Opportunity  to  obferve)  and  very 
clear  Experience  in  his  own  Soul  ;  but  the 
mqft  diligent  Search  of  the  holy  Scriptures, 
and  flridt  Examination  of  the  Nature  of 
Things  ;  and  that  his  Determinations  con 
cerning  the  Nature  of  genuine  Religion, 
here  exhibited  to  the  World,  have  not  been 
fettled  and  publifhed  by  him  without  long 
Consideration,  and  maturely  weighing  all 
Objections  which  could  be  thought  of,  tak 
ing  all  Opportunities  to  hear  what  could  be 
faid  by  all  Sorts  of  Perfons  againft  the  Prin 
ciples  here  laid  down,  from  Time  to  Time 
converging  freely  and  friendly  with  Gentle 
men  in  the  Armmlan  Scheme,  having  alfo 
had  much  Acquaintance,  and  frequent  long 
Converfation  with  many  of  the  People  called 
Separatifts,  their  Preachers  and  others. 

And  I  cannot  but  exprefs  my  flncere 
Wifhes,  that  what  is  here  written  by  this 
reverend  and  pious  Author,  may  be  taken 
Notice  of,  read  without  Prejudice,  and  tho 
roughly  considered  :  As  I  verily  believe, 
from  my  own  Perufal,  it  will  be  found  a 

Difcourfe  whereia  the  proper  Eflence  and 

diftiu- 


diftinguiftiing  Nature  of  faving  Religion  is 
deduced  from  the  firSl  Principles  of  the  Ora 
cles  of  God,  in  a  Manner  tending  to  a  great 
Increafe  of  Light  in  this  infinitely  impor 
tant  Subject ;  discovering  Truth,  and  at  the 
fame  Time  (hewing  the  Grounds  of  it  ;  or 
Shewing  what  Things  are  true,  and  alfb  why 
they  are  true  ;  manifefting  the  mutual  De- 
pendance  of  the  various  Parts  of  the  true 
Scheme  of  Religion,  and  alfb  the  Founda 
tion  of  the  Whole  ;  Things  being  reduced 
to  their  firft  Principles  in  Such  a  Manner, 
that  the  Connection  and  Reafon  of  Things, 
as  well  as  their  Agreement  with  the  Word  of 
God,  may  be  eafily  Seen  ;  and  the  true 
Source  of  the  dangerous  Errors  concerning 
the  Terms  of  God's  Favour  and  Qualifica 
tions  for  Heaven,  which  are  prevailing  at  this 
Day,  is  plainly  discovered  ;  Shewing  their 
Falfhood  at  the  very  Foundation,  and  their 
Inconfiftence  with  the  very  firft  Principles  of 
the  Religion  of  the  Bible, 

Such  a  Difcourfe  as  this  is  very  feafbnable 
at  this  Day.  And  altho*  the  Author  (as  he 
declares)  has  aim'd  efpecially  at  the  Benefit 
of  Perfons  of  vulgar  Capacity  ;  and  fo  has 
not  laboured  for  fuch  Ornaments  of  Stile  and 

a  a  Lan- 


Language  as  might  beft  fuit  the  Guft  of  Men 
of  polite  Literature  ;  yet  the  Matter  or  Sub- 
ftance  that  is  to  be  found  in  this  Difcourfe, 
is  what,  I  truft,  will  be  very  entertaining  and 
profitable  to  every  ferious  and  impartial  Rea 
der,  whether  learned  or  unlearned. 


NORTHAMPTON, 
Auguft  ^  1750. 


JONATHAN  EDWARDS. 


The  A  u  T  H  o  R'S 


PREFACE. 


•E  are  defigned,  by  GOD  our  Maker-,  for  an  end- 
lefs  Exiftence.     In  this  prefent  Life  we  jufl  enter 
upon  Being^  and  are  in  a  State  introducing  to  a 
never-ending  Duration  in  another  World,  where 
we  are  to  be  for  ever  unfpeakably  happy,  or  mife- 
rable,  according  to  our  prefent  Conduct.     This  is  defigned  for 
a  State  of  Probation  -,  and  that,  for  a  State  of  Rewards  and 
Punifhments.     We  are  now  upon  Trial,  and  God's  Eye  is  upon  ) 
us  every  Moment  ;  and  that  Pifture  of  our  Selves,   which  we  , 
exhibit  in  our  Conduft,  the  whole  of  it  taken  together,  will  ( 
give  our  proper  Character,   and  determine  our  State  for  ever.  \ 
"This  being  defigned  for  a  State  of  Trial,  God   now  means  to 
try  us,  that  our  Conduct  under  all  the  Trials   of  Life,   may 
dif cover  what  we  be,  and  ripen  us  for  the  Day  of  Judgment ; 
when  God  will  judge  every  Man  according  to  his  Works,  and 
render  to  every  one  according  to  his  Doings.     He  does  not 
Intend,  in  the  Difpenfations  of  bis  Providence,  to  fuit  Things  to 
a  State  of  Eafe  and  Enjoyment,  which  is  what   this  Life  is 
not  defigned  for  ;  but  to  a  State  of  Trial.     lie  puts  Men  into 
trying  Circunflances  of  fet  Purpofe,  and  as  it  were,  contrives 
Methods  to  try  them.   One  great  End  he  has  in  View,  is,  that 
jbe  may  prove  them,  and  fyiow  what  is  in  their  Hearts. 


a  a  2 


ii      The  Author's  PREFACE. 

He  did  not  lead  the  Children  of  Ifrael  direffly  from  Egypt 
to  Canaan,  but  fir  ft  thro"  the  Red  Sea,  and  then  out  into  a 
Wildernefs^  where,  there  was  neither  Water  ^  nor  Bread  nor 
F*efo  ;  and  made  them  wander  there  forty  Tears^  that  he  might 
try  them,  and  prove  them,  and  know  what  was  in  their 
Hearts.  Dcut.  8.2.  So  when  the  Chriilian  Religion  was 
introduced  into  the  World^  it  was  not  in  fuch  a  Way  as  Men 
would  have  chofen^  but  in  a  Manner  fuited  to  a  State  of  Trial. 
The  SON  OF  GOD  did  not  come  in  outward  Glory ,  but  in  the 
Form  of  a  Servant  ;  not  to  rtign  as  an  earthly  Prince^  but 
to  die  upon  the  Crofs  :  and  his  Apoftles  made  but  a  mean  Ap 
pearance  in  the  Eyes  of  the  World  :  and  that  Se6t  was  every 
where  fpoken  againfl^nndpsrfecuted :  and  many  were  the  Stum 
bling-blocks  of  the  Times.  And  thefe  Things  were  to  try  the 
Temper  of  Mankind.  —  And  when  Chriftian  Churches  were 
eretted  by  the  indefatigable  Labours  of  St.  Paul  and  others^ 
that  God  might  thoroughly  try  every  Heart,  he  not  onlyfuffered 
the  wicked  World  to  rife  in  Arms  againft  them^  but  alfo  lit 
Satan  loofa  to  transform  himfelf  into  an  Angel  of  Light, 
tf  ;;J,  as  it  were,  to  infpire,  and  fend  forth  his  Minifters,  trans 
formed  into  the  Apoftles  of  Chrift>  to  vent  heretical  Dottrines, 
and  foment  Strife  and  Divijion.  In  the  mean  while,  the  fe  cure 
find  wicked  World  looked  on,  pleafed,  no  doubt,  to  fee  their 
Debates  and  Divifions,  and  glad  they  could  have  fuch  a 
Handle  againft  Chriftianity,  &  fo  good  a  Plea  to  juftify  their 
Infidelity.  And  God  delighted  to  have  Things  under  Circum- 

ftances  fo  perfectly  well  adapted  to  a  State  of  Trial. 

He  loved  to  try  the  Apoftles,  to  fee  how  they  would  be  affeffed 
and  aft  •,  when  not  only  the  World  was  in  Arms  againft  them, 
lut  many  of  their  own  Converts  turned  to  be  their  Enemies  too, 
by  the  Influence  of  falfe  Teachers.  He  loved  to  try  private 
Chriftians,  to  fee  how  their  Hearts  would  be  affeffed  towards 
the  Truths  of  the  Gofpel,  and  the  true  Miniflers  of  Chrift,  and 
towards  their  temporal  Inter  eft  \  while  the  Truths  of  the  Gof- 
pel  were  denied  or  pervert ed^  and  the  true  Minifters  of  Chrift 
defpifed  &  jtigmatifed,  by  Hereticks^  and  their  temporal  Inter  eft 
expofed  to  the  Rage  of  a  wicked  mercikfs  l¥  rid.  And  he  loved 
to  try  Hypocrites^  to  fee  whether  they  would  not  renounce  the 
Truth  they  pretended  fo  highly  ts  value,  and  become  difaffefted 

towards 


The  Author's  PREFACE.        iii 

towards  the  Mini  ft  ers  of  Chrift  they  feemed  fo  dearly  to  love, 
and followfalfe  Teachers,  or  fall  off  fo  the  World. 

It  is  reafonable  and  fit,  and  a  Thing  becoming  and  beauti 
ful^  that  Beings  in  a  State  of  Probation  /hould  be  tried  :  and 
God  looks  upon  theprefent  outward  Eafe  and  Comfort  even  of 
his  own  People ',  as  a  Matter  of  no  Importance, compared  with 
things  fpiritual  and  eternal.  Eternity ,  with  all  ifs  Impor 
tance^  lies  open  to  his  View  \  and  Time  appears  as  a  Point, 
and  all  it's  Concerns  as  Things  comparatively  of  no  Worth.  If 
the  Wicked  are  in  Profperity,  and  the  Righteous  in  Adverjity, 
or  all  Things  come  alike  to  all,  God  is  well-pleafed  ;  becaufe 
Things  of  Time  are  of  fo  little  Importance,  and  becauft 
fuch  an  Adminiftration  of  Things  is  fuited  to  a  State  of  Trial. 
There  will  be  Time  enough  hereafter,  for  the  Righteous  to  be 
rewarded^  and  the  Wicked  punijhed.  In  this  View  of  Things, 
we  may,  in  a  Meafure,  under  ft  and  the  darkeft,  and  account  for 
the  moft  myfterious,  Difpenfations  of  divine  Providence,  and 
difccrn  the  Wifdom  of  the  divine  Government. 

It  has  doubtlefs  appeared  as  a  Thing  ftrange  and  dark  to 
many  pious  Perfons,  and  occafioned  not  a  little  Perplexity  of 
Mind)  to  obferve  what  has  come  to  pafs  in  New  EnglancL/fo 
the  Tear  1740.  That  there  floould  be  fo  general  an  Out-pour- { 
ing  °f  the  Spirit '-,  fo  many  Hundreds  and  Thoufands  awa 
kened  all  over  the  Country ',  and  fuch  an  almoft  univerfal  exter 
nal  Reformation,  and  fo  many  receive  the  Word  with  Joy  ; 
and  yet,  after  all,  Things  come  to  be  as  they  now  are:  fo 
many  fallen  away  to  carnal  Security,  and  fo  many  turned 
Enthufiafts  and  Hereticks,  and  the  Country  fo  generally  fettled 
in  their  Prejudices  againft  experimental  Religion  and  the 
Doftrines  of  the  Gofpel,  and  a  Flood  of  Arminianifm  and, 
Immorality ',  ready  to  deluge  the  Land.  But  as  ftrange  and 
dark  as  it  may  have  feemed,  yet  doubtlefs  if  any  of  us  had 
lived  with  the  Ifraelites  in  the  Wildernefs,  or  in  the  three  fir  ft 
Ages  after  Chrift,  or  in  the  Time  of  the  Reformation  from 
Popery,  the  Difpenfations  of  divine  Providence  would  upon 
the  whole  have  appeared  much  more  myfterious  than  they  do 
now.  And  yet  thofe  were  Times  when  God  was  doing  glorious 
Things  for  his  Church. — And  indeed,  it  has  happened  in  our 


iv       The  Author's  PREFACE. 

Day,  however  ftrange  it  may  feem  to  us,  no  other  wife  than 
our  Saviour  foretold  it  commonly  /would  under  the  Gofpel-Dif- 
fenfation,  'at  haft  'till  Satan  is  bound,  that  he  may  deceive  the 
Nations  no  more.  The  Sower  goes  forth  to  fow,  and  fome  Seed 
falls  by  /fo  Way-Side,  &  fome  on  (tony,  &  fome  on  thorny ,«;&£ 
fome  on  good  Ground  •,  and  while  he  is  f owing  good  Seed,  an 
Enemy  in  the  Night,  the  Devil  unobferved,  yjwjTares  :  Now 
when  the  Sun  is  up,  i.  e.  when  new  Times  come  en,  and 
Trials  approach,  the  main  of  the  Seed  is  loft  -,  not  only  what 
fell  by  the  Way-Side,  but  alfo  what  fell  on  the  ftony  and 
thorny  Ground.  And  when  the  good  Ground  is  about  to 
bring  forth  Fruit,  the  Tares  begin  to  appear  too.  Mat.  13. 
Thus  it  has  always  been.  —  This  is  a  State  of  Trial,  and  God 
has  permitted  fo  many  fad  and  awful  Things  to  happen  in 
Times  of  Reformation,  with  Dejign  to  prove  the  Children  of 
Men,  and  know  what  is  in  their  Hearts. 

TheToungPeoplealmoft  all  ^wrNew-England  profejfed,they 
would  for  ever  renounce  youthful  Vanities,  andfeek  the  Lord. 
"  Well",  God,  in  the  Courfe  of  bis  Providence,  as  it  were,  fays, 
"  I  will  try  you."  Seeming  Converts  exprejfed  great  Love 
to  Chrift,  his  Truths,  and  Minifiers,  and  Ways  •,  "  Well? 
fays  God,  "  1  will  try  you."  Multitudes,  being  Enemies  td 
all  true  Religion,  longed  to  fee  the  whole  Reformation  fall  into 
Difgrace,  and  Things  return  to  their  own  Channel  •,  and  they 
fought  for  Objections  and  Stumbling-Blocks  :  "  Well"  fays 
God,  "  Tou  may  have  them,  and  I  will  try  and  fee  how  you 
cc  will  be  affeffied,  and  what  you  will  fay,  and  whether  you 
"  will  be  as  glad  when  the  Caufe  of  my  SON  is  betrayed  by 
cc  the  Mif carriages  of  thofe  that  profefs  to  be  his  Friends,  as 
"  the  Jews  of  old  were,  when  my  SON  himfelf  was  betrayed 
"  into  their  Hands  by  Judas."  Thus  God  means  to  try  every 
one. 

A  compajffionate  Senfe  of  the  Exercifes,  which  godly  Perfons, 
efpecially  among  common  People,  might  be  under  in  thefe  evil 
Days,  while  fome  are  fallen  away,  and  others  are  clapping 
their  Hands  and  rejoycing  with  all  their  Hearts  tofeeZion  laid 
wafte  ;  while  Arminians  are  glojffing  their  Scheme,  and  ap 
pealing  to  Reafon  and  common  Senfe,  as  tho*  their  Principles 
were  near  or  quite  felf -evident  to  all  Men  of  Thought  and 

Candour  -, 


The  Author's  PREFACE.        v 

Candour  -,  find  while  Enthufiafts  are  going  about  as  Men  in- 
fpired  and  immediately  fent  by  the  Almighty ,  fret-ending  to  ex 
traordinary  Sanftily,  and  bold  in  it  that  they  are  fo  holy  in 
them/elves,  and  fo  entirely  on  the  Lord's  Side,    that  all  godly 
People  mufti  and  can't  but,  fee  as  they  do,   and  fall  in  with 
4hem,unlefs  they  are  become  blind,dead  and  carnal,  and  got  back 
into  the  World  ;  A  compajffionate  Senfe,  1  fay,  ef  the  Exercifes 
of  Mind,  which  pious  Perfons  among  common  People  might 
have,  in  Juch   a  trying  Situation   of  Things,   was  the  firft 
Motive,  which  excited  me  to  enter  upon  this  Work,  which  I 
now  offer  to  the  Publick.     And  to  make  divine  Truths  plain 
to  fuch,  and  toftrip  Error  naked  before  their  Eyes,  that  they 
might  be  eftablifhed  and  comforted  and  quickned  in  their  Way 
Heaven-ward,  was  the  End  I  had  in  View.  And  accordingly  I 
have  laboured  very  much  to  adapt  my  felfto  the  loweftCapad- 
ties,  not  meaning  to  write  a  Book  for  the  Learned  and  Polite, 
but  for  common  People,  and  efpecially  for  thofe  that  are 
godly  among  them. 

To  thefe  therefore,  that  they  may  read  what  I  have  writ 
ten  with  the  greater  Profit,  I  will  offer  thefe  two  Directions. 

J5 

(i.)  Labour  after  determinate  Ideas  of  God,  and  aSenfe 
of  his  infinite  Glory.  This  will  fpread  a  Light  over  all  the 
Duties  and  Doctrines  of  Religion,  and  help  you  to  underfland 
the  Law  and  the  Gofpel,  and  to  pry  into  the  Myfteries,  and 
difcern  the  Beauties,  of  the  divine  Government.  By  much 
the  greatesJ  Part  of  what  I  have  written,bejides  Jhewing  what 
GOD  is,  conjifts  in  but  fo  many  Proportions  deduced  from  the 
divine  Perfections.  Begin  here  therefore,  and  learn  what 
GOD  is,  and  then  what  the  moral  Law  is  -,  and  this  will 
help  you  to  underftand  what  our  Ruin  is,  and  what  the  Way  of 
our  Recovery  by  free  Grace  thro"  JESUS  CHRIST.  The  Bible 
is  defignedfor  rational  Creatures,  and  has  God  for  it *s  Author  -3 
and  you  may  therefore  depend  upon  it,  that  it  contains  a  Scheme 
perfectly  rational, divined  glorious.  And  the  Pleafure  of  divine 
Knowledge  will  a  thoufandTimes  more  than  recompence  all  your 
Reading,  Study  andPains  :  Only  content  not  your  f elves  witb  a 
general  fuperficial  Knowledge,  but  enter  thoroughly  inlo^hings. 
(2.)  Pradife,  as  well  as  read.  The  End  of  Reading 
*nd  Knowledge  is  Praftice.  And  holy  Praftice  will  help 

you 


vi       The  Author's  PREFACE. 

you  to  underfta nd  wbat  you  read.  Love  GOD  with  all  your 
Heart,  and  your  Neighbour  as  your  felf  -,  and  you  catft 
but  under  ft  and  me  i  while  in  the  firft  Difcourfe  I  Jhew  what 
is  implied  in  tbefe  two  great  Commands.  And pr attic e  Repen 
tance  towards  God  and  Faith  towards  our  Lord  Jefus 
Chrift  ;  and  thefecond  Difcourfe,  which  treats  of  the  Nature 
cf  the  Gofpel  and  a  genuine  Compliance  therewith,  will  natu 
rally  become  plain  and  eafy.  And  while  you  daily  ftudy  di 
vine  'Truths  in  your  Heads,  and  digeft  them  well  in  your 
Hearts,  and  praftife  them  in  your  Lives,  your  Knowledge  and 
Holinefs  will  increafe,  and  God's  Word  &?  Providence  be  better 
underftood,  your  perplexing  Difficulties  will  be  more  folved, 
and  you  be  eftablijhed,ftrengthned  and  comforted,  in  your  Way 
Heaven-ward-,  and  your  Light  Jhining  before  Men,  they  will 
fee  your  good  Works,  and  your  Father  which  is  in  Heaven  will 
be  glorified. All  which  are  the  hearty  Defire  and  Prayer 

•f 

Your  Servant  in  JESUSCHRIST, 


BETHLEM,  April 
25th.  1750. 


Jofeph  Bellamy. 


Religion  delineated. 


DISCOURSE     I. 

Shewing  the  Nature  of  the  Divine  LAW,  and 
wherein  confifts  a  real  Conformity  to  it. 


MATTH.  xxii,  37,  38,  39,  40. 

Jefus  faid  unto  him^hcu  /halt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thy  Hcart^  and  with  all  thy  Soul,  and  with  all  thy  Mind. 
This  is  the  firft  and  great  Commandment.  And  the  fecond 
is  like  unto  //,  'Thou  jhalt  love  thy  Neighbour  as  thy  felf. 
On  thefe  two  Commandments  hang  all  the  Law  and  the 
Prophets. 

The  INTRODUCTION. 


Religion  confifts  in  a  Conformity  to  the 
^Illllf^l  Law  of  God,  and  in  a  Compliance  with  the 
T$fc$p  Gofpel  of  Chrift.     The  Religion  of  innocent 
Man  confided  only  in  a  Conformity  to  the 
Law  •,  theLaw  of  Nature,  with  the  Addi 
tion  of  one  pofitive  Precept  :    he  had  no  need  of  Gofpel- 
Grace.     But  when  Man  loft  his  Innocency  and  became 
guilty  and  depraved,  when  he  fell  under  the  Wrath  of  God 
2nd  Power  of  Sin  ;  he  needed  a  Redeemer  and  a  Sandlifier  : 

B  and 


2  True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

and  in  the  Gofpel  a  Redeemer  and  a  Sanftifier  are  provided, 
and  a.  Way  for  our  obtaining  pardoning  Mercy  and  fanctify- 
ing  Grace  is  opened  ;  a  Compliance,  with  which,  does  now 
therefore  become  Part  of  the  Religion  of  a  fallen  Creature. 
Now  if  we  can  but  rightly  underftand  the  Law,  and  rightly 
underftand  the  Gcfpel^  we  may  eafily  fee  wherein  a  Confor 
mity  to  the  one,  and  a  Compliance  with  the  other,  does  con- 
fiil  -,  and  fo  what  true  Religion  is.  —  For  the  prefent,  let  us 
take  the  Law  under  Confideration.  And  \t  will  be  proper 
to  inquire  into  thefe  following  Particulars.—  A-  1  .  WhatDuty 
does  God  require  of  us  in  his  Law  ?  —  2.  From  what  Mo 
tives  muft  that  Duty  be  done  ?  —  3.  What  is^  that  precife 
Meafure  of  Duty  which  God  requires  in  his  Law  ?  - 
And  a  fhort,  but  very  clear  and  plain  Anfwer  to  all  thefe 
Queftions  we  have  before  us  in  our  Text  ;  which  is  the 
Words  of  our  blefTed  Saviour,  and  in  which  he  does  upon 
Defign  declare  what  the  Sum  andSubftance  of  the  Law  is.  — 
He  had  a  Queftion  put  to  him  in  thefe  Words  •,  "  Mailer, 
which  is  the  great  Commandment  in  theLaw  ?"  To  which 
he  anfwers  —  "  Thou  fhalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thyHeart  &c.  this  is  the  firft.  —  The  fecondisKkeuntoit  &c." 
The  ten  Commandments  are  fum'd  up  in  thefe  two,  and 
every  Duty  enjoined  in  the  Law,  and  inculcated  in  the  Pro 
phets,  are  but  fo  many  Deductions  from  thefe  two,  in  which 
all  are  radically  contained.  A  thoro  underftanding  of  thefe 
two  will  therefore  give  us  anlnfight  into  all.  -  Let  us  now 
therefore  begin  with  taking  the  firft  of  thefe  into  particular 
Confideration.  --  Tboujhalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thy  Heart  &c.  -  Here  is  —  i'.  The  Duty  required,  viz. 
Love  to  God.  —  2  .  The  Grounds  &  Reafons  of  the  Duty  in- 
timated.  Bccaufe  he  is  the  Lord  our  God.  -  3  .  The  Mea 
fure  of  Duty  required.  With  all  thy  Heart  &c. 

In  difcourfmg  upon  thefe  Words,  I  will  therefore  endea 
vour  to 


I.  What  is  implied  in  Love  to  God. 

,  From  what  Motives  we  are  required  to  love  Him. 
IIL  What  is  that  Meafure  of  Love  which  is  required. 

SECTION 


and  diftmguifoed  from  all  Counterfeits.    3 

SECTION    I. 
Shewing  what  is  implied  in  Love  to  GOD. 

I.  I  am  to  fhew  what  is  implied  in  Love  to  GOD. 
And 

i .  A  true  Knowledge  of  God  is  implied.  For  this  lays  the 
Foundation  for  Love.  A  fpiritual  Sight  of  God,  and  a 
Senfe  of  his  Glory  and  Beauty,  begets  Love.  When  He 
that  commanded  the  Light  to  fliine  out  of  Darknefs,  fhines 
in  our  Hearts,  and  gives  us  the  Light  of  the  Knowledge  of 
the  Glory  of  God  •,  and  when  we  with  open  Face  behold 
as  in  a  Glafs  the  Glory  of  the  Lord,  then  we  are  changed 
into  the  fame  Image  :  The  Temper  and  Frame  of  our 
Hearts  become  like  God's  :  (To  fpeak  after  the  Manner  of 
Men)  we  begin  to  feel  towards  God,  in  a  Meafure  as  he 
does  towards  himfelf ;  i.  e.  to  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts. 
2  Cor.  3.  1 8.  &  4.  6.  For  now  we  begin  to  perceive  the 
Grounds  and  Reafons  of  that  infinite  Efleem  he  has  of 
Himfelf,  and  infinite  Complacency  in  Himfelf,  and  why 
he  commands  all  the  World  to  love  and  adore  him.  And 
the  fame  Grounds  and  Reafons  which  move  him  thus  to 
love  Himfelf,  and  command  all  the  World  to  do  fo  too,  do 
enkindle  the  divine  Flame  in  our  Hearts.  When  we  fee 
God,  in  a  Meafure,  fuch  as  he  fees  Himfelf  to  be,  and  have 
a  Senfe  of  his  Glory  and  Beauty  in  being  what  he  is,  in  a 
Meafure,  as  he  Himfelf  has,  then  we  begin  to  love  him 
with  the  fame  Kind  of  Love,  and  from  the  fame  Motives, 
as  he  Himfelf  does  :  only  in  an  infinitely  inferiour  Degree. 
This  Sight  and  Senfe  of  God,  difcovers  the  Grounds  of  Love 
to  him  :  We  fee  why  he  requires  us  to  love  him,  and  why 
we  ought  to  love  him,  how  right  and  fit  it  is  \  and  fo  we 
cannot  but  love  him. 

This  true  Knowledge  of  God  fuppofes,  that  in  a  Mea 
fure,  we  fee  God  to  be  juft  fuch  a  One  as  he  is  •,  and,  in  a 
Meafure,have  a  Senfe  of  his  infinite  Glory  &:  Beauty  in  being 
fuch.  For  if  our  Apprehenfions  of  God  are  not  right,  it 
is  not  God  we  love,  but  only  a  falfe  Image  of  him  framed 
—  B  2  in 


4  True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

in  our  own  Fancy.*  And  if  we  have  not  a  Senfe  of  his 
Glory  and  Beauty  in  being  what  he  is,  it  is  impoffibie  we 
ihould  genuinely  love  and  efteem  him  for  being  fuch.  To 
love  God  for  being  what  he  is,  and  yet  not  to  have  any 
Senfe  of  his  Glory  and  Beauty  in  being  fuch,  implies  a  Con 
tradiction.  For  it  fuppofes,  we  have  a  Senfe  of  his  Glory 
and  Beauty  when  we  have  not  :  a  Senfe  of  the  Beauty  and 
Amiablenefs  of  any  Object  being  always  neceffarily  im 
plied  in  Love  to  it.  Where  no  Beauty  or  Amiablenefs 
is  feen,  there  can  be  no  Love.  Love  cannot  be  forced. 
Forced  Love  is  no  Love.  If  we  are  obliged  to  try  to  force 
our  felves  to  love  anyBody,  it  is  a  Sign  they  are  very  odious 
in  our  Eyes,  or  at  lealt  that  we  fee  no  Beauty  nor  Amiable 
nefs  in  them,  no  Form  or  Comelinefs,  wherefore  we  fhould 
defire  or  delight  in  them.  (Cant,$.  7.)  In  all  Cafes,  fo  far 
as  we  fee  Beauty,  fo  far  we  love,  and  no  farther. 

Moil  certainly,  that  Knowledge  of  God  which  is  neceflary 
to  lay  a  Foundation  of  a  genuine  Love  to  him,  implies  not 
only  right  Apprehenfions  of  what  He  is^  but  alfo  a  Senfe  of 
his  Glory  and  Beauty  in  being  fuch  \  for  fuch  a  Knowledge 
of  God  as  confifts  meerly  in  Speculation^  let  it  rife  ever  fo 
high,  and  be  ever  fo  clear,  will  never  move  us  to  love  Him. 
Mere  Speculation^  where  there  is  no  Senfe  of  Beauty ,  will  no 
fooner  fill  the  Heart  with  Love,  than  a  Looking-Glafs  will 
be  filled  with  Love  by  the  Image  of  a  beautiful  Counte 
nance,  which  looks  into  it.  And  a  mere  fpeculative  Know 
ledge  of  God,  will  not,  cannot,  beget  a  Senfe  of  his  Beauty 

in 

*  How  falfe  and  dangerous  therefore  is  that  Principle,  "  That  it  is  no 
Matter  what  Men's  Principles  be,  if  their  Lives  be  but  good."- — Juft 
as  if  that  external  Conformity  to  the  Law,  might  be  called  a  good 
Life,  which  does  not  proceed  from  a  genuine  Love  to  God  in  the 

Heart  : or  juft  as  if  a  Man  might  have  a  genuine  Love  to  God 

in  his  Heart,  without  having  right  Apprehenfions  of  Him  ! or  juft 

as  if  a  Man  might  have  right  Apprehenfions  of  God,  let  his  Appre 
henfions  be  what  they  will  !  Upon  this  Principle,#«*/£*«j,3Wj,  and 
Mahometans,  may  be  faved  as  well  as  Cbriftians.  And  upon  this 
Principle,  the  Heathen  Nations  need  not  much  trouble  themfelves  to 
know  which  is  the  right  'God  among  all  the  Gods  that  are  worihipped 
in  the  World,  for,  it  js  no  Matter  which  God  they  think  is  the  true, 
if  their  Lives  are  but  good.  -  But— why  has  God  revealed  him- 
fclf  in  his  Word,  if  right  Apprehenfions  of  God  be  a  Matter  of  fuch 

Jridiffercncy 


and  diftlnguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.    5 

in  being  what  he  is,  whenas  there  is  naturally  no  Difpofition 
in  our  Hearts  to  account  Him  glorious  in  being  fuch,  but 
whol  ly  to  the  contrary.  Rom  .8.7.  The  carnal  Mind  is  Enmity 
againft  God.  When  Natures  are  in  perfect  Contrariety,  (the  J 
one  (infill,  and  the  other  holy,)  the  more  they  are  known  to 
each  other,  the  more  is  mutual  Hatred  ftirred  up,  and  their 
entire  Averfion  to  each  other  becomes  more  'fenfible.  The 
more  they  know  of  one  another,  the  greater  is  their  Diflike, 
and  the  plainer  do  they  feel  it. Doubtlefs  the  fallen  An 
gels  have  a  great  Degree  of  fpeculative  Knowledge,  they 
have  a  very  clear  Sight  and  great  Senfe  of  what  God  is  : 
but  the  more  they  know  of  God,  the  more  they  hate  him. 

L  e. 

Indifterency  in  Religion? — And  why  did  St.  Paul  take  fuch  Pains  to 
convert  the  heathen  Nations  to  Chriftianity,  and  fo  much  fill  up  his 
Epiftles  to  them  afterwards  with  doftrinai  Points^  and  be  fo  Jirenuous  as 
to  fay,  "  If  an  Angel  from  Heaven  mould  preach  any  other  Gof- 
pel,  LET  HIM  BE  ACCURSED,"  if  right  Apprehensions  of  God, 
and  right  Principles  of  Religion  be  a  Matter  of 'fiich  Indifferency  !— - 
'Tis  ftrange  that  fuch  a  Notion  mould  be  ever  once  mentioned  by  any 
that  pretend  to  be  Chriftians,  fmce  it  is  fubverfive  of  the  whole  Chriflian 
Religion  :  making  Cbrjjlianity  no  fafer  a  Way  to  Heaven  than  Paga- 
mfm.  Yea,  fuch  a  Principle  naturally  tends  to  make  all  thofe  who 
imbibe  it,  leave  Love  to  God,  and  Faith  in  G6;v/?,out  of  their  Religion, 
and  quiet  themfelves  with  a  meer  empty  Form  of  external  Duties, 
Or  in  other  Words,  it  tends  to  make  them  leave  the  Law  and  the 
Go/pel  out  of  their  Religion,  and  quiet  themfelves  with  mer£  Heathen 
Morality,  For  a  Man  cannot  attain  to  Love  to  God  and  Faith  in  Ckriji, 
without  right  Apprehenfions  of  God  and  Chrijl.  Or  in  other  Words,  a 
Man  cannot  attain  to  a  real  Conformity  to  the  Law,  and  to  a  genuine 
Compliance  with  the  Gofpel,  unlefs  his  Principles  refpecling  the  Law 
and  Gofpel  are  right  :  But  a  Man  may  attain  to  a  good  Life,  exter- 
xa/fy,  let  his  Apprehenfions  of  God  and  Chrift,  of  Law  and  Gcffel,  and 
all  his  Principles  of  Religion,  be  what  they  wilL  Let  him  be  a  Hea 
then,  or  Jew,  a  Mahometan,  or  Chnitian  j  yea,  if  a  Man  be  aa 
Atheift,  he  may  live  a  good  Life  externally  ;  for  any  Man  has  fuffi- 
cient  Power  to  do  every  external  Duty ;  and  'tis  many  times  much  for 
Men's  Honour  and  worldly  Intereft  to  appear  righteous  outwardly  before 
Men.  Matth.  23.  28. 

N.  B.  What  is  here  faid,  may  with  a  little  Alteration,  be  as  well  applied 
to  fome  other  Sorts  of  Men.  So  the  Moravians  fay  "  They  care  not 
what  Men's  Principles  be,  if  they  do  but  love  the  Saviour."  So  in 
Nnv-Englend,  there  are  Multitudes  who  care  little  or  nothing  what 
Doarines  Men  believe,  if  they  are  but  full  of  FLAMING  ZEAL. 
Juft  as  if  it  were  no  Matter  what  a  Kind  of  Saviour  we  frame  an 
Idea  of,  if  we  do  but  love  him  ;  nor  what  we  are  zealous  about,  if 
we  are  but  FLAMING  HOT, 


6  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

i.  e.  their  Hatred  and  Averfion  is  ftirred  up  the  more,  and 
they  feel  it  plainer.  So  awakened  Sinners, when  under  deep 
and  thoro  Conviction,  have  comparatively  a  very  clear  Sight 
and  great  Senfe  of  God  \  but  it  only  makes  them  fee  and 
feel  their  native  Enmity,  which  before  lay  hid.  A  Sight 
and  Senfe  of  what  God  is,  makes  them  fee  and  feel  what 
his  Law  is,  and  fo  what  their  Duty  is,  and  fo  what  their 
Sinfulnefs  is,  arid  fo  what  their  Danger  is  :  It  makes  the 
Commandment  come,  and  fo  Sin  revives,  and  they  die.  Rom. 
7.  7,  8,  9.  The  clearer  Sight  and  the  greater  Senfe  they  have 
of  what  God  is,  the  more  plainly  do  they  perceive  that  per 
fect  Contrariety  there  is  between  his  Nature  and  their's. 
Their  Averfion  to  God  becomes  difcernible.  They  begin 
to  fee  what  Enemies  they  be  to  him  :  And  fo  the  fecret 
Hypocrify  there  has  been  in  all  their  Pretences  of  Love,  is 
discovered  :  And  fo  their  high  Conceit  of  their  Goodnefs, 
and  all  their  Hopes  of  finding  Favour  in  the  Sight  of  God 
upon  the  Account  of  it,  ceafe,  die  away,  and  come  to  no 
thing.  Sin  revived^  and  I  died.  The  greater  Sight  &  Senfe 
they  have  of  what  God  is,  the  plainer  do  they  feel  that  they 
have  no  Love  to  him  •,  but  the  greateft  Averfion.  For  the 
more  they  know  of  God,  the  more  their  native  Enmity  is 
ftirred  up.  So  again,  as  foon  as  ever  an  unregenerate  Sin 
ner  enters  into  the  World  of  Spirits,  where  he  has  a  much 
clearer  Sight  and  greater  Senfe  of  what  God  is  ;  immedi 
ately  his  native  Enmity  works  to  Perfection,  and  he  blaf- 
phemes  like  a  very  Devil  :  And  that  altho  perhaps  he  died 
full  of  feeming  Love  and  Joy.  As  the  Galatians,vfho  once 
loved  Paul,  fo  as  that  they  could  even  have  plucked  out 
their  Eyes  and  given  him  •,  yet  when  afterwards  they  came 
to  know  more  clearly  what  Kind  of  a  Man  he  was,  then 
they  turned  hisEnemies.  And  fo  finally,  all  the  Wicked  at 
the  Day  of  Judgment,  when  they  fhall  fee  very  clearly  what 
Godis,will  thereby  only  have  all  the  Enmity  of  their  Hearts 
ftirred  to  Perfection.  — From  all  which  it  is  exceeding  mani- 
feft  that  the  cleared Speculative  Knowledge  of  God,  is  fo  far 
from  bringing  an  unholy  Heart  to  love  God,  that  it  will 
only  ftir  up  the  more  Averfion.  And  therefore  that  Know 
ledge  of  Gpd  which  lays  the  Foundation  for  Love,  muft 

imply 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.     7 

imply  not  only  right  Apprehenfions  of  what  God  is,   but 
alfo  a  Senfe  of  his  Glory  and  Beauty  in  being  fuch.  * 

Wicked  Men  and  Devils  may  know  what  God  is,  but  ? 
none  but  holy  Beings  have  any  Senfe  of  his  infinite  Glory  j 
and  Beauty  in  being  fuch  •,  which  Senfe  in  Scripture-Lan 
guage  is  called  feeing  and  knowing,  i  Joh.  3.  6.  Wbofoever 
Jtnneth,  bath  not  feen  kirn,  neither  known  him.  iii  Joh. ver.  1 1 . 
He  that  doth  Evil  hath  not  feen  God.  i  Joh.  2.  4.  He  that 
faith,  I  know  him,  and  keepeth  not  his  Commandment sjs  aLiar, 
and  the  Truth  is  not  in  him.  Becaufe  wicked  Men  have  no 
Senfe  of  his  Glory  and  Beauty,  therefore  they  are  faid  not  to 
know  God.  For  all  Knowledge  without  this  is  vain,  it  is 
but  the  Form  of  Knowledge.  Rom.  2.  20.  It  will  never  in- 
kindle  divine  Love.  And  in  Scripture  Sinners  are  faid  to 
be  blind,  becaufe  after  all  their  Light  and  Knowledge,  they 
have  no  Senfe  of  God's  Glory  in  being  what  he  is,  and  fo 
have  no  Heart  to  love  him.  And  hence  alfo  they  are  faid  to 
be  dead.  They  know  nothing  of  the  ineffable  Glory  of  the 
divine  Nature,  and  the  Love  of  God  is  not  in  them.  Joh.<*\ 
5.  42.  and  8.  19,55-  ^ 

2.  Another  Thing  implied  in  Love  to  God  is  Efteem. 
Efteem,  ftriclly  fpeaking,  is  that  high  &  exalted  Thought 
of,  and  Value  for,  any  thing  •,  which  arifes  from  a  Sight  and 
Senfe  of  its  own  intrinfick  Worth,  Excellency  and  Beauty. 
So  a  Senfe  of  the  infinite  Dignity,  Greatnefs,  Glory,  Excel 
lency  and  Beauty  oRthe  moft  high  God,  begets  in  us  high 
and  exalted  Thoughts  of  him*  and  makes  us  admire,  won 
der 

*  I  grant,  that  if  all  our  Enmity  againft  God  arifes  merely  from  our  con 
ceiving  him  to  be  our  Enemy,  then  a  Manifeftation  of  his  Love  to 
our  Souls  will  caufe  our  Enmity  to  ceafe,  and  bring  us  to  love  him  ; 
nor  will  there  be  any  need  of  a  Senfe  of  the  moral  Excellency  of  his 
Nature  to  produce  it  ;  and  fo  there  will  be  no  Need  of  the  fanftifying 
Influences  of  the  holy  Spirit.  A  Manifeftation  of  the  Love  of  God 
to  our  Souls  will  effectually  change  us.  —  And  thus  a  Man  may  be 
under  great  Terrors  from  a  Senfe  of  the  Wrath  of  God,  and  may 
fee  the  JEnmity  of  his  Heart  in  this  Senfe  :  and  may  afterwards  have, 
as  he  thinks,  great  Manifeftation s  of  the  Love  of  God,  and  be  filled 
with  Love  and  Joy  :  and  after  all,  never  truly  fee  the  Plague  of  hi* 
own  Heart,  nor  have  his  Nature  renewed.  And  a  Man's  having 
experienced  fuch  a  falfe  Converfion,  naturally  leads  him  to  frame 
wrong  Notions  of  Religion,  and  blinds  his  Mind  againft  the  TnrJk 
Many  of  the  Antimmipn  Principles  take  Rife  from  this  Quarter. 


8  True  .Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

der  and  adore.  Hence, the  heavenly  Hofts  fall  down  before 
the  Throne,  and  under  a  Senfe  of  his  ineffable  Glory,  con 
tinually  cry,  Hcly,  holy^  boly  Lord  God  Almighty^  the  whole 
Earth  is  full  of  thy  Glory.  And  Saints  here  below,  while 
they  behold  as  in  a  Glafs  the  Glory  of  the  Lord,  are 
raviihed ;  they  efleem,  they  admire,  they  v/onder  and 
adore  ;  and  under  fome  feebler  Senfe  of  the  ineffable  Glory 
of  the  divine  Nature,  they  begin  to  feel  as  they  do  in  Hea 
ven,  and  to  fpeak  their  Language,  and  fay,  "  Who  is  a 
God  like  unto  thee  !  Thy  Is1  ame  alone  is  excellent,  and  thy 
Glory  is  exalted  above  the  Heavens." 

This  high  Efteem  of  God,  difpofes  and  inclines  theHeart 
to  acquiefce,  yea,  to  exult,  in  all  the  high  Prerogatives  God 
afTumes  to  himfelf. 

God  from  a  Confcioufnefs  of  his  own  infinite  Excel 
lency,  his  entire  Right  to  and  abfolute  Authority  over  all 
Things,  is  difpofed  to  take  State  to  himfelf,  and  Honour 
and  Majefly,  the  Kingdom,  the  Power  and  the  Glory ;  and 
he  fets  up  himfelf  as  the  mod  high  God,  fupreme  Lord 
and  fovereign  Governour  of  the  whole  World,  and  bids  all 
Worlds  adore  him,  and  be  in  a  moft  perfect  Subjection  to 
him,  and  that  with  all  theirHearts  •,  and  efteems  the  Wretch, 
who  does  not  account  this  his  higheft  Happinefs,  worthy  of 
eternal  Damnation.  God  thinks  it  infinitely  becomes  him 
to  fet  up  himfelf  for  a  GOD,  &  to  command  all  the  World 
to  adore  him,  upon  Pain  of  eternal  Damnation.  He  thinks 
himfelf  fit  to  govern  the  World,  and  that  the  Throne  is  his 
proper  Place,  and  that  all  Love,  Honour  andObedience  are 
his  Due.  "  I  am  the  Lord,  (fays  he,)  and  befides  me  there 
"  is  no  God.  I  am  the  Lord,  that  is  my  Name,  and  my 
"  Glory  will  I  not  give  to  another.  And  thus  and  thus  mall 
cc  ye  do,  for  I  am  the  Lord.  And  curfed  be  every  one  that 
"  continues  not  in  all  Things  written  in  the  Book  of  the 
<c  Law  to  do  them."  Now  it  would  be  infinitely  wicked 
for  the  higheft  Angel  in  Heaven  to  afTume  any  of  this  Ho 
nour  to  himfelf  •,  but  it  infinitely  becomes  the  mod  high 
God  thus  to  do.  And  when  we  fee  his  infinite  Dignity, 
Greatnefs,Glory  andExcdlency,  and  begin  rightly  to  efteem 
him  ;  then  his  Conduct  in  all  this  will  begin  to  appear  infi 
nitely  right  and  fit,  and  fo  infinitely  beautiful  and  ravilhing, 

and 


and  diflinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.    9 

and  worthy  to  be  rejoyced  and  exulted  in.  Pfal.  91.  i.  The] 
Lordreigneth^  let  the  Earth  rejoycs  :  Let  the  Multitude  of  the  ( 
IJles  be  glad  thereof. 

And  a  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the  fupreme,  infinite  Glory  and 
Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature,  will  not  only  make  us 
glad  that  he  is  GOD  and  KING  and  GOVERNOUR ;  but 
alfo  exceeding  glad  that  we  live  under  his  Government,and 
are  to  be  his  Subjects'  and  Servants,  andtobeathisDifpofe. — 
It  will  fhew  us  the  Grounds  and  Reafons  of  his  Law,  how 
infinitely  right  and  fit  it  is  that  we  fhould  love  him  with  all 
our  Hearts,  and  obey  him  in  every  Thing  :  How  infinitely 
unfit  and  wrong  the  leaft  Sin  is  :  And  how  juft  the  threat- 
ned  Punifhment.  And  at  the  fame  Time  it  will  help  us 
to  fee,  that  all  the  Nations  of  the  Earth  are  as  a  Drop  of 
the  Bucket,  or  fmail  Duft  of  the  Ballance,  before  him  ;  and 
that  we  our  felves  are  nothing  and  lefs  than  nothing  in  his 
Sight.  So  that  a  right  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the  fupreme,  in 
finite  Glory  of  God,  will  make  us  efteem  him,  fo  as  to  be 
glad  that  he  is  on  the  Throne,  and  we  at  his  Footftool  -,  that 
he  is  King,  and  we  his  Subjects  •,  that  he  rules  and  reigns, 
and  that  we  are  abfolutely  in  Subjection,  and  abfolutely  at 
his  Difpofe.  In  a  Word,  we  fhall  be  glad  to  fee  him  take 
all  that  Honour  to  himfeif  which  he  does,  and  fhall  be  hear 
tily  reconciled  to  his  Government,  and  cordially  willing  to 
take  our  own  proper  Places  •,  and  hereby  a  Foundation  will 
begin  to  be  laid  in  our  Hearts  for  allThings  to  come  to  rights* 
Job  42.  5,6.  /  have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  Ear  : 
But  now  mine  Eye  feeth  thee.  therefore  I  abhor  my  f elf  and 
repent  in  Duft  and  AJhes.  Ifa.  2.  1 1.  The  lofty  Looks  of  Man 
Jhall  be  humbled^  and  the  Haughtinefs  of  Man  Jhall  be  brought 
down,  and  the  Lord  alone  Jhall  be  exalted. —  And  that  all  this 
is  implied  in  a  genuine  Love  to  God,  not  only  the  Reafon  of 
the  Thing  and  the  plain  Tenour  of  Scripture  manifeft,  but 
it  is  even  felf-evident  $  for  if  we  do  not  fo  efteem  God  as  to 
be  thus  glad  to  have  him  take  hisPlace  and  we  ours^  it  argues 
fecret  Diflike,  and  proves  that  there  is  fecret  Rebellionin  our 
Hearts.  Thus  therefore  muft  we  efteem  the  gloriousGod, 
or  be  reputed  Rebels  in  his  Sight. 

3 .  Another  Thing  implied  in  Love  to  God  may  be  call'd 
Benevolence.     When  we  arc  acquainted  with  any  Perfon,and 

he 


Jo  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

he  appears  very  excellent  in  our  Eyes,  and  we  highly  efteem 
him,  it  is  natural  now  heartily  to  wifh  him  well  -9  we  are 
concerned  for  his  Intereft,  we  are  glad  to  fee  it  go  well  with 
him,  and  forry  to  fee  it  go  ill  with  him  •,  and  ready  at  all 
Times  chearfully  to  do  what  we  can  to  promote  hisWelfare. 
Thus  Jonathan  felt  towards  David.  And  thus  Love  to 
God  will  make  us  feel  towards  him,  his  Honour  and  Irftereil 
in  the  World.  When  God  is  feen  in  his  infinite  Dignity, 
Greatnefs,  Glory  and  Excellency,  as  the  moil  high  God, 
fupremeLord,and  fovereignGovernourof  the  whole  World ; 
and  a  Senfe  of  his  infinite  Worthinefs  is  hereby  raifed  in 
our  Hearts  •,  this  enkindles  a  holy  Benevolence,  the  native 
Language  whereof  is,  Let  God  be  glorified,  Pfal.  96.  7,  8. 
And  be  tbou  exalted,  O  God,  above  theHeavens :  Let  thy  Glory 
be  above  all  the  Earth,  Pfal.  57.  5,  1 1. 

This  holyDifpofition  fometimes  exprefTes  it  felf  in  earneft 
Longings  that  God  would  glorify  himfelf,  and  honour  his 
great  Name  \  and  bring  ail  the  World  into  an  entire  Sub 
jection  to  him.  And  hence  this  is  the  native^Language  of 
true  Love,  Our  Father  which  art  in  Heaven,  Hallowed  be  thy 
Name,  thy  Kingdom  come,  thy  Will  be  done,  on  Earth  as  it  is 
in  Heaven.  Mat.  6.  9,  10. —  And  hence,  when  God  is  about 
to  bring  to  pafs  great  and  glorious  Things  to  the  Honour 
of  his  great  Name,  it  caufes  great  Joy  andRejoycing.  Pfal, 
96.  ii,  12,  13.  Let  the  Heavens  rejoyce,  and  let  the  Earth  be 
glad  :  Let  the  Sea  rore,  and  thefulnefs  thereof,  let  the  Field  be 
joyful,  and  all  that  is  therein  :  Thenjhall  the  frees  of  theWood 
rejoyce,  before  the  Lord  ;  for  he  cometh,for  he  cometh  to  judge 
the  Earth,  he  fi all  judge  the  World  with  Righteoufnefs, and  the 
People  with  his  Truth. 

And  hence  again,  when  God  feems  to  be  about  to  do, 
or  permit,  any  Thing,  which,  as  it  feems  to  us,  tends  moil 
certainly  to  bring  Reproach  and  Diihonour  upon  his  great 
Name,it  occafions  the  greateil  Anguiih  &  Diftrefs.  Thus 
lays  God  toMofes,  <c  This  is  a  ftiff-necked  People,  let  me 
*c  alone  that  I  may  deilroy  them  in  a  Moment,  and  I  will 
«  make  of  thee  a  great  Nation."  But  fays  Mofes,  "  What 
"  will  become  of  thy  great  Name  ?  What  will  the  Egypfc 
"  tfwfay?  And  what  will  theNations  all  round  about  fay  ?" 
And  he  mourns  and  wreilles,  crys  and  prays,  begs  and 

pleads, 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   1 1 

pleads,  as  if  his  Heart  would  break.  And  fays  he,  "  If  I 
"  may  not  be  heard,  but  this  Difhonour  and  Reproach 
"  muft  come  upon  thy  great  Name  j  it  can't  comfort  me, 
"  to  tell  me,  of  making  of  me  a  great  Nation  :  Pray  let 
"  me  rather  die  and  be  forgotten  for  ever,  and  let  not  my 
"  Name  be  numbered  among  the  living,  but  let  it  be  blot- 
"  ted  out  of  thy  Book."  Well,fays  God,  "I  will  hear  thee. 
"  But  as  truly  as  I  live,  I  will  never  put  up  thefe  Affronts; 
"  but  the  whole  World  ihall  know  what  a  holy  and 
"  Sin-hating  God  I  am,  and  be  filled  with  my  Glory  :  For 
"  the  Carcaies  of  all  thofe,  who  have  treated  me  thus,fhall 
"  fall  in  the  Wildernefs  ;  and  here  they  Ihall  wander  'till 
"  forty  Years  are  accomplifti'd,  and  then  I  will  do  fo  and 
"  fo  to  their  Children,  and  fo  fecure  the  Honour  of  my 
"  Power,  Truth  and  Faithful nefs."  And  now  Mofes  is 
content  to  live  in  the  Wildernefs,  and  do  and  fuffer  and  un 
dergo  any  Thing,  if  God  will  but  take  Care  of  his  great 
Name.  Exod.  32.  Numb.  14. — And  as  it  is  diftrefling  to  a 
true  Lover  of  God,  to  fee  God's  Name  and  Works  and 
Ways  fall  into  Reproach  and  Contempt  ;  and  as  on  the  ci 
ther  Hand  there  is  no  greater  Joy  then  to  fee  God  glorify 
himfelf -,  (Exod.  i$.)  Hence,  this  World,  even  on  thisAc- 
count,  may  be  fitly  called  a  Vale  of  'Tears  to  the  People  of 
God,  becaufe  here  they  are  always  feeing  Reproach  and 
Contempt  caft  upon  God,  his  Name,  his  Works  and  his 
Ways.  And  hence,  at  the  Day  of  Judgment,  all  thefeTears 
fhall  be  wiped  away  from  their  Eyes,  becaufe  then  theyfhali 
fee  all  Things  turned  to  the  Advancement  of  the  Glory  of 
his  great  Name,  throughout  the  endlefs  Ages  of  Eternity. 
Rev.  19.  i,  2,3,4,  5. 

Again,  this  divine  Benevolence  or  wifhing  that  God  may 
be  glorified,  fometimes  exprelfes  it  felf  in  earner!  Longings 
that  all  Worlds  might  join  together  to  blefs  and  praife  the 
Name  of  the  Lord  :  And  it  appears  infinitely  fit  &  right, 
and  fo  infinitely  beautiful  and  ravifhing,  that  the  whole  in 
telligent  Creation  fhould  for  ever  join  in  the  moft  folemn 
Adoration.  Yea,  and  that  Sun,  Moon,  Stars  •,  Earth,  Air, 
Sea  ;  Birds,  Beafts,  Fifhes  ;  Mountains  and  Hills,  and  all 
Things  Ihould  in  their  Way,  difplay  the  divine  Perfections, 
end  praife  the  Name  of  the  Lord,  becaufe  his  Name  alone 

is 


12          True  Religion  delineated          Dis.  L 

is  excellent  and  his  Glory  is  exalted  above  the  Heavens. 
And  hence  the  pious  Pfalmift  fo  often  breathes  this  divine 
Language.  Pfal.  103.  20,  21,  22.  Blefs  the  Lord,  ye  his 
Angels )  that  excel  in  Strength,  that  do  his  Commandments -, 
bearkning  unto  the  Voice  of  hisP^ord.  Blefs  ye  thcLcrd,  all  ye 
his  Hofts,  ye  Ministers  of  his  that  do  his  Pleafure.  Blefs  the 
Lord  all  his  Works,  in  all  Places  of  his  Dominion  :  Blefs  the 
Lord,  O  my  Soul.  Pfal.  148.  i, — 13.  Praife ye  the  Lord. 
Praife  ye  the  Lord  from  the  Heavens  :  Praife  him  in  the 
Heights.  Praife  him,  all  ye  his  Angels  :  Praife  him,  all  his 
Hotts.  Praife  him,  Sun  and  Moon,  &c.  Let  them  fraife  the 
Name  of  the  Lord  •,  for  his  Name  alone  is  excellent,  &c.  See 
alfo  the  95,  96,  97,  &  98th  Pfalms,  &c.  &c. 

Laftly,  From  this  divine  Benevolence,  arifes  a  free  and 
genuine  Difpofition  to  dedicate,coniecrate,  devote  and  give 
up  our  felves  entirely  to  the  Lord  for  ever  ;  to  walk  in  all 
his  Ways,  and  keep  all  his  Commands,  feeking  his  Glory. 
For  if  we  defire  that  God  may  be  glorified,  we  f hall  natu 
rally  be  difpofed  to  feek  his  Glory.  A  Sight  and  Senfe  of 
the  infinite  Dignity,  Greatnefs,  Glory  and  Excellency  of 
God,  the  great  Creator,  Preferver  and  Goyernour  of  the 
World,  who  has  an  entire  Right  unto,  and  an  abfolute  Au 
thority  over  all  Things,  makes  it  appear  infinitely  fit  that 
all  Things  mould  be  for  him,  and  him  alone  ;  and  that  we 
fhould  be  intirely  for  him,  and  wholly  devoted  to  him  ;  and 
that  it  is  infinitely  wrong  to  live  to  ourfelves,  and  make  our 
own  Intereft  our  laft  End.  The  fame  Views  which  make 
the  Godly  earneftly  long  to  have  God  glorify  himfelf,  and 
to  have  all  the  World  join  to  give  him  Glory,  thoroughly 
engage  them  for  their  Parts  to  live  to  God.  After  David 
had  called  upon  all  others  to  blefs  the  Lord,  he  concludes 
with,  Blefs  the  Lord,  0  my  Soul.  And  this  is  the  Language 
of  Heaven,  Rev.  4.  n.  T'bou  art  worthy,  0  Lord,  to  re 
ceive  Glory,  and  Honour,  and  Power  :  For  thou  baft  created 
all  things,  and  for  thy  Pleafure  they  are,  and  were  created. 
And  it  was  their Maxim  in  the  Apoftles  Days,  Whether  they 
sat  or  drank,  or  whatever  they  did,  all  muft  be  done  to  the 
Glory  of  God,  i  Cor.  10.  31.  And  it  was  their  Way,  not  t& 
live  to  themfelves,  but  to  the  Lord  -,  (  2  Cor.  5.  15,)  Yea, 
Whether  they  lived,  to  live  to  the  Lord  ;  or  whether  they  died, 

t$ 


and.  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  13 

to  die  to  the  Lord.  Rom.  14.7,8.  "This  was  v/hat  they  com 
mended.  Phil.  2.  20,  21.  And  this  was  what  they  enjoined, 
as  that,  in  which  the  very  Spirit  of  true  Religion  confifted. 
Eph.  6.  5,  6,  7.  i  Cor.  6,  20.  Rom.  12.  i.  &  7.  4. 

All  rational  Creatures,  acting  as  fuch,  are  always  influ 
enced  by  Motives  in  their  whole  Conduct. — Thofe  Things 
are  always  the  moil  powerful  Motives,  which  -appear  to  us 
jnoft  worthy  of  our  Choice. —  The  principal  Motive  to  an 
Action,  is  always  the  ultimate  End  of  the  Action.  Hence, 
if  God,  his  Honour  and  Intereit,  appear  to  us  as  the  fu- 
pream  Good,  and  moil  worthy  of  our  Choice;  then  God, 
his  Honour  and  Intereft,  will  be  the  principal  Motive  and 
ultimate  End  of  all  we  do.  If  we  love  God  fupreamly,  we 
fhall  live  to  him  ultimately.  If  we  love  him  with  all  our 
Hearts,  we  fhall  ferve  him  with  all  ofir  Souls. — Juft  as  on 
the  other  Hand,  if  we  love  our  felves  above  all,  then  Self- 
Love  will  abfolutely  govern  us  in  all  Things.  If  Self-In- 
terefl  be  the  principal  Motive,then  Self-Interefl  will  be  the 
lail  End,  in  our  whole  Conduct. —  Thus  then  we  fee,  that 
if  GOD  be  higheft  in  Efteem,  then  Gofs  Intereft  will  be 
the  principal  Motive  and  the  laft  End  of  the  whole  Conduct 
of  rational  Creatures  :  And  if  SELF  be  highefl  in  Efleem, 
then  Self-Intereft  will  be  the  principalMotive  and  lail  End. 
And  hence  we  may  obferve,  that  where  Self -Inter  eft  governs 
Men,  they  are  confidered  in  Scripture,  as  ferving  themf elves. 
(Hof.  i o.i.  Zee.  7.  5,6.)  And  where  God's  Intereft  governs, 
they  are  confidered  as  ferving  the  Lord.  2  Cor.  5.  15.  Gal. 
i.  10.  Eph.  6.  5,  6,  7.  compared  with  Tit.  2.  9,  10.  To 
love  God  fo  as  to  ferve  kirn,  is  what  the  Law  requires  ;  To 
love  Self  fo  as  to  ferve  Self,  is  Rebellion  againil  theMajeily  of 
Fleaven.  And  the  fame  infinite  Obligations  which  we  are 
under  to  love  God  above  our  felves  -,  even  the  fame  infinite 
Obligations  are  we  under,  to  live  to  God  ultimately,  and 
not  to  our  felves.  And  therefore  it  is  as  great  a  Sin  to  live 
to  our  felves  ultimately  ^  as  it  is  to  love  our  felves  fupremely. 

4.  and  lailly.  Delight  in  God,  is  alfo  implied  in  Love  to 
him.  By  Delight  we  commonly  meanjthatPleaiure,  Sweet- 
nefs  and  Satisfaction,  which  we  take  in  any  Thing  that  is 
very  dear  to  us.  When  a- Man  appears  very  excellent  to  us, 
and  we  efteem  him,  and  wifh  him  all  Good  •,  we  alfo  at 

the 


14  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  L 

the  fame  Time,  feel  a  Delight  in  him,   and  a  Sweetnefs  in 
his  Company  and  Converfation.    We  long  to  fee  him  when 
abfent ;  we  rejoyce  in  his  Prefence  -,  the  Enjoyment  of  him 
tends  to  make  us  happy.     So  when  a  holy  Soul  beholds 
God  in  the  infinite  moral  Excellency  and  Beauty  of  hisNa- 
ture,  and  loves  him  lupreamly,  and  is  devoted  to  him  en 
tirely,  now  alfo  he  delights  in  him  fuperlatively.     His  De 
light  and  Complacency  is  as  great  as  his  Efleem,  and  arifes 
from  a  Senfe  of  the  fame  moral  Excellency  and  Beauty. — 
From  this  Delight  in  God  arile  Longings  after  further  Ac 
quaintance  with  him,  and  greaterNearnefs  to  him.  Job  23.3. 
O  that  I  knew  where  I  might  find  him ,  that  I  might  come  even 
to  his  Seat !  —  Longings  after  Communion  with  him.  Pfal. 
63.  i,  2.  O  God,  thou  art  my  God,  early  will Ifeek  thee  :  My 
Soul  thirfteth  for  thee,  my  Flejh  longeth  for  thee  in  a  dry  and 
thirfty  Land,  where  no  Water  is :  'To  fee  thy  Power  and  thy 
Glory,  fo  as  Ihavefcen  thee  in  the  Santtuary.  /.  8.  My  Soul 
f allow  eth  hard  after  thee. — A  holy  Rejoycing  in  God.  Hab. 
3.  17,  1 8.    Altkb  the  Figtree  Jhall  not  Blcjfom,  neither  Jhall 
Fruit  be  in  the  Vine  :  The  Labour  of  the  Olive  foall  fail,  and 
the  Field  Jhall  yield  no  Meat,  the  Flock  ftjall  be  cut  off  from 
the  Fold,  and  there  Jhall  be  no  Herd  in  the  Stall :    Tet  I  wilt 
rejoyce  in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  Rock  of  my  Salvation. — 
Finally,  from  this  Delight  in  God  arifes  a  holy  Difpofition 
to  renounce  all  other  Things,   and  live  wholly  upon  him, 
and  take  up  everlafting  Content  in  him,  and  in  him  alone. 
Pfal.  73.  25,26.  Whom  have  I  in  Heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there 
is  none  ufonlLarth  Idejire  befides  thee.     MyFleJh  and  my  He  art 
faileth,  but  God  is  the  Strength  of  my  Heart  and  my  Portion 
for  ever, — The  vain  Man  takes  Content  in  vain  Company  •, 
the  worldly  Man  takes  Content  in  Riches  -,  the  ambitious 
Man  in  Honour  and  Applaufe  •,  the  Philofopher  in  Philo- 
fophical  Speculations  •,  the  legal  Hypocrite  in  his  Round  of 
Duties  ;  the  evangelical  Hypocrite  in  his  Experiences,  his 
Difcoveries,  his  Joys,  his  Raptures,  and  confident  Expecta 
tion  of  Heaven  :  but  the  true  Lover  of  God  takes  his  Con 
tent  in  God  himfelf.  Pfal.  4.  6,  7.     And  thus  we  fee  what 
is  implied  in  Love  to  God. 

And 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   1 5 

And  now  that  this  is  a  right  Reprefentation  of  the  Nature 
of  that  Love,  which  is  required  in  the  firfl  and  great  Com 
mandment  of  the  Law  upon  which  chiefly  all  the  Law  and 
theProphets  hang,is  manifeft,not  only  from  theReafon  of  the 
Thing,  &  from  what  has  been  already  (aid-,  but  alfo  from  this, 
that  fuch  a  Love  to  God  as  this  Jays  a  fure  &  firm  Foundation 
for  all  holy  Obedience.     That  Love  to  God  is  of  the  right  Kind 
which  will  effectually  influence  us  to  keep  hisCommands.  Job. 
15.  14.   i  Job.  2.  3,  4,  5.    But  it  is  evident  from  the  Na 
ture  of  Things,  that  fuch  a  Love  as  this  will  effectually  in 
fluence  us  to  do  fo.     As  Self-love  naturally  caufes  us  to  fet 
up  Self  and  feek  Self-Intereft  :    So  this  Love  to  God  will 
naturally  influence  us  to  fet  up  God  and  feek  his  Intereft. 
AS  delight  in  the  World  naturally  makes-  us  feek  after  the 
Enjoyment  of  the  World,  fo  this  delight  in  God  will  natu 
rally  influence  us   to  feek  after  the  Enjoyment  of   God. 
And  while  we  love  God  primarily  for  being  what  he  is,  we 
cannot  but  for  the  fame  Reafon,  love  his  Law,   which  is  a 
Tranfcript  of  his  Nature,  and  love  to  conform  to  it.    If  we 
loved  him  only  from  Self-love,  from  the  fear  of  Hell,   or 
from  the  hopes  of  Heaven  -,  we  might  at  the  fame  time  hate 
his  Law  :  but  if  we  love  him  for  being  what  he  is,  we  can 
not  but  love  to  be  like  him  :    which  is  what  his  Law  re 
quires.     To  fuppofe  that  a  Man  loves  God  fupremely  for 
what  he  is  ;  and  yet  don't  love  to  be  like  him  ;  is  an  evi 
dent  Contradiction.     It  is  to  fuppofe  a  Thing  fupremely 
loved  ;  and  yet  at  the  fame  time  not  loved  at  all.     So  that 
to  a  Demonftration,  this  is  the  very  Kind  of  Love  which  the 
Lord  our  God  requires  of  us.     So  Saints  in  Heaven  love 
God  perfeftly,   and  fo  the  good  Man  on  Earth  begins  in  a 
weak  and  feeble  Manner  to  love  God  :  for  there  is  but  one 
Kind  of  Love  required  in  the  Law  ;  and  fo  but  one  Kind 
of  Love  which  is  of  the  right  Sort  :  for  no  Kind  of  Love 
can  be  of  the  right  Sort,  but  that  very  Kind  of  Love  which 
the  Law  requires.     There  is  therefore  no  difference  between 
their  Love  in  Heaven,  and  our's  here  upon  Earth,  but  only 


ia  Degree. 


SECTION 


1 6  "True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

SECTION     II. 

Shewing  from  what  Motives  true   Love,   to 
GOD    takes  its    Rife. 

II.  I  now  proceed  to  fhew  more  particularly,  from  what 
Motives  we  are  required  thus  to  love  God.  Indeed  I  have 
done  this  in  Part  already.  For  I  have  been  obliged  all  along, 
in  fhewing  what  is  implied  in  Love  to  God,  to  keep  myEye 
upon  the  firil  and  chief  Ground  &  Reafon  of  Love,  name 
ly  what  God  is  in  himfelf.  But  there  are  other  Confidera- 
tions,  which  increafe  our  Obligations  to  love  him  and  live 
to  him  •,  which  ought  therefore  to  come  into  the  Account. 
And  I  defign  here  to  take  a  general  View  of  all  the  Rea- 
fons  and  Motives  which  ought  to  influence  us  to  love  the 
Lord  our  God  •,  all  which  are  implied  in  thofe  Words,  The 
Lord  thy  Gcd.  Thou  /halt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
Heart,  i.  e.  becaufe  he  is  THE  LORD  and  OUR  GOD.  * 

i .  The  firft  and  chief  Motive  which  is  to  influence  us  to 
love  God  with  all  ourHearts,  is  His  infinite  Dignity  £f?  Great- 
vefs,  Glory  and  Excellency  :  Or  in  one  Word,  His  infinite 
Amiablenefs.  We  are  to  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts,  be 
caufe  he  is  THE  LORD,  becaufe  he  is  what  he  is,  and 
juft  fuch  a  Being  as  he  is.  On  this  Account  primarily,and 
antecedent  to  all  other  Confiderations,he  is  infinitely  amiable  j 
and  therefore  on  this  Account  primarily  and  antecedent  to 
all  other  Confiderations,  ought  he  to  appear  infinitely  amia 
ble  in  our  Eyes.  This  is  the  firft  &  chief  Reafon  &  Ground 
upon  which  his  Law  is  founded,  I  AM  THE  LORD  : 
(Exod.  20.  2.  Levit.  19.)  This  therefore  ought  to  be  the  firft 
and  chief  Motive  to  influence  us  to  obey.  The  principal 
Reafon  which  moves  him  to  require  us  to  love  him,  ought 
to  be  the  principal  Motive  of  our  Love.  If  the  fundamen 
tal  Reafon  of  his  requiring  us  to  love  him  with  all  our 
Hearts,  is,  becaufe  he  is  what  he  is  ;  and  yet  the  Bottom  of 
our  Love  .be  fomething  elfe  i  then  our  Love  is  not  what 
his  Law  requires,  but  aThing  of  quite  another  Nature.  Yea 
if  the  Foundation  of  our  Love  to  God,  is  not  becaufe  he  is 
what  he  is,  in  Truth  we  love  him  not  at  all.  If  I  feel  a  Sort 
of  Refpeft  to  one  of  my  Neighbours  who  is  very  kind  to 

me, 


and  diftmguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   1 7 

me,  and  either  do  not  know  what  a  Sort  of  Man  he  is,  or 
if  I  do,  yet  do  not  like  him  ;  it  is  plain,  it  is  his  Kindnefles 
I  love,  and  not  his  Perfon  ;  and  all  my  feeming  Love  to 
him,  is  nothing  but  Self-Love  in  another  Shape.  And  let 
him  ceafe  being  kind  to  me,  and  my  Love  will  ceafe.  Let 
him  crofs  me,  and  I  ihall  hate  him.  Put  forth  thineHand 
now,  and  touch  all  that  he  hath^  and  he  will  curfe  thee  to  thy 
Face  (Job  i.  n.)  as  the  Devil  faid  concerning  Job.  And 
indeed  fo  he  would,  had  not  his  Love  to  God  taken  its  rife 
from  another  Motive,  than  God's  Kindnefles  to  him.  But 
why  need  I  multiply  Words  ?  For  it  feems  even  felf-evi- 
dent,  that  God's  Lovelinefs  ought  to  be  the  firft  and  chief 
Thing  for  which  we  love  him. 

Now,  God  is  infinitely  lovely,  becaufe  he  is  what  he  is. 
Or  in  other Words,hisinfiniteDignity  &Greatnefs,Glory  and 
Excellency,  are  the  Refult  of  his  natural  and  moral  Per 
fections.  So  that  it  is  a  clear  Sight  &  realizing  Senfe  of  his 
natural  &  moral  Perfections,  as  they  are  revealed  in  hisWorks 
and  in  his  Word,  that  makes  him  appear  to  a  HOLY  Soul  as  a 
Being  of  infiniteDignity  &  Greatnefs,Glory  and  Excellency* 
Thus  the  Queen  of  Sheba^  feeing  and  converfing  with  Solo 
mon,  and  viewing  his  Works,  under  a  Senfe  of  the  large  and 
noble  Endowments  of  his  Mind,  was  even  ravifhed ;  and 
cried  out,  The  one  Half  was  not  told  me  !  And  thus  the  holy 
and  divinely  enlightned  Soul,  upon  feeing  God,  reading  his 
Word,  and  meditating  on  his  wonderful  Works  •,  under  a 
Senfe  of  his  divine  and  incornprehenfible  Perfections,  is  ra 
vifhed  with  his  infinite  Dignity,  Majefty,  Greatnefs,  Glory 
and  Excellency  •,  and  loves,  admires,  and  adores  -,  and  fays, 
Who  is  a  God  like  unto  thee ! 

His  natural  Perfections  are, 

(i.)  His  infinite  Under/landing  ;  whereby  he  knows 
himfelf,  and  all  Things  poffille  •,  and  beholds  all  Things 
paft,  prefent  and  to  come,  at  one  All-comprehenfive  View. 
So  that  from  Everlafting  to  Everlafting,  his  Knowledge  can 
neither  increafe  nor  diminifh,  or  his  Views  of  Things  fuffer 
the  leaft  Variation  ;  being  always  abfolutely  compleat,  and 
confequently  neceflarily  always  the  fame. 

(2.)  His  Almighty  Power  •,  whereby  he  is  able,  with  infi 
nite  Eafe,  to  do  any  Thing  that  he  pleafes. 

C  And 


1 8  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  L 

And  his  moral  Perfections  are, 

(i.)  His  infinite  Wifdom  ;  whereby  he  is  able,  and  is  in 
clined,  to  contrive  and  order  all  Things  in  all  Worlds  for 
the  beft  Ends,  and  after  the  belt  Manner. 

(2.)  His  perfefl  Holinefs  ;  whereby  he  is  inclined,  infi 
nitely  to  love  Right,  and  hate  Wrong  :  Or  according  to 
Scripture-Phrafe,  to  love  Righteoufnefs  and  hate  Iniquity. 

(3.)  His  impartial  Juflice  ;  whereby  he  is  unchangeably 
inclined,  to  render  to  every  one  according  to  his  Deferts. 

(4.)  His  infinite  Goodnefs  •,  whereby  he  can  find  in  his 
Heart  to  beftow  the  greateftFavours  upon  his  Creatures,  if 
he  pleafes  j  and  is  inclined  to  beftow  all  that  is  beft  ;  all 
Things  confidered. 

(5.)  His  Truth  and  Faithfulnefs ; ,  whe'reby  he  is  inclined 
to  fulfil  all  his  Will,  according  to  his  Word  :  So  that  there 
is  an  everlafting  Harmony  between  his  Will,  his  Word, and 
his  Performance. 

And  his  Being,  and  all  his  natural  and  moral  Perfections, 
and  his  Glory  and  BlefTednefs,  which  refults  from  them,  he 
has  in  himfelf,and  of  himfelf,  underived  j  and  is  neceflarily 
infinite,  eternal,  unchangeable,  in  all ;  and  fo  abfolutely  In 
dependent,  Self-fufficient  and  All-fufficient. 
"  This  is  the  God,  whom  we  do  love  ! 
"  This  is  the  God,  whom  we  adore  ! 
"  In  him  we  truft,  to  him  we  live  ; 
"  He  is  our  All,  for  evermore." 

Now  there  are  three  Ways  by  which  thefe  his  Perfections 
are  difcovered  to  the  Children  of  Men  :  By  hisWorks,by 
his  Word,  and  by  his  Spirit.  By  the  two  firft,  we  fee  him 
to  be  what  he  is  :  By  the  laft,  we  behold  his  infinite  Glory 
in  being  fuch.  The  two  firft,  produce  a  fpeculativeKnow- 
ledge  :  The  laft,  a  Senfe  of  moral  Beauty. 

Pirft^  He  difcovers  thefe  his  Perfections  by  Us  Works. 
i.  e.  by  his  creating^  preferring^  and  governing  the  World  ; 
and  by  his  redeeming,  fanftifying  and  faving  bis  People. 

i .  By  his  creating  the  World.  He  it  is, who  has  ftretched 
abroad  the  Heavens  as  a  Curtain,  and  fpread  them  out  as  a 
Tent  to  dwell  in  :  who  has  created  the  Sun,  Moon  &  Stars  ; 
and  appointed  them  their  Courfes  :  who  has  hung  theEarth 
upon  nothing  :  who  has  fixed  the  Mountains,  and  bounded 

and 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   1 9 

the  Seas,  and  formed  every  living  Creature.  All  the  hea 
venly  Hofts  he  hath  made,  and  created  all  the  Nations  that 
dwell  upon  the  Earth  :  and  the  Birds  of  the  Air,  and  the 
Beads  of  the  Field,  and  the  Fifties  of  the  Sea^  and  every 
creeping  Thing,  are  the  Works  of  his  Hands  :  and  the 
meaneft  of  his  Works  are  full  of  unfearchable  Wonders,  far 
furpafiing  our  Undarftanding.  So  that  the  invisible  Things 
cfGod^  from  the  Creation  of  the  World,  are  clearly  feen,  being 
underftood  by  the  ^Things  that  are  made^  even  his  eternal.  Power 
and  Godhead.  As  St.  Paul  obferves,  in  Rom.  i.  20. 

.2.  By  his  preferring  theWorld.  His  Eyes  run  to  and  fro 
thro'out  all  the  World,  beholding  everyThing.  HisEyesare 
upon  all  his  Works,  fo  that  even  theSparrows  are  not  forgotten 
by  him,  and  the  very  Hairs  of  our  Heads  are  all  numbred. 
And  he  holds  all  Things  in  being  ;  and  the  opening  of  his 
Hand  fills  the  Defires  of  every  living  Creature  :  even  the 
whole  Family  of  Heaven  and  Earth  live  upon  his  Goodnefs, 
and  are  maintained  by  his  Bounty.  In  a  Word,  his  infinite 
Underftanding  fees  all,  his  infinite  Power  upholds  all,  his 
infinite  Wifdom  takes  care  of  all,  and  his  infinite  Goodnefs 
provides  for  all  ;  and  that  every  Moment.  So  that  the  in- 
vifible  Things  of  God  are  difcovered  in  prefer ving,  as  well 
as  in  creating  the  World.  And  hence  when  the  piousPfal- 
tnift  meditates  on  the  Works  of  Creation  and  Prefervation, 
he  fees  God  in  them, and  views  his  Perfections, and  is  touch'd 
at  Heart  with  a  Senfe  of  his  Glory,  and  is  filled  with  high 
and  exalted,  and  with  admiring  and  adoring  Thoughts  of 
God.  So  Pfal.  19.  i.  The  Heavens  declare  the  Glory  of  the 
Lord  fee.  And  Pfal.  9 5.1.  O  come  let  usfing  unto  the  Lord, 
&c. —  But  why  ?  —  /.  3.  For  the  Lord  is  a  great  God, 
find  a  great  King^  above  allGods. — But  how  does  this  appear  ? 
Why,^r.  4,5.  In  his  Hand  are  the  deep  Places  of  the  Earth  ; 
theStrength  of  the  Hills  is  his  alfo.  The  Sea  is  his^  and  he  made 
it ;  and  his  Hands  formed  the  dry  Land,  $.  6.  O  therefore 
come  let  usworjhip  and  bow  down,  let  us  kneel  before  the  Lord 
our  Maker.— And  again  in  Pfal.  96.  i.  Ofmgunto  the  Lord 
a  new  Song  :  Sing  unto  the  Lord,  all  the  Earth. —  But  why  ? 
—^.4.  For  the  Lord  is  great,  and  greatly  to  bepraifed  :  He  is 
tc  be  feared  above  all  Gods. —  But  wherein  does  this  appear  ? 
— Why— jfr.  5.  M  the  Gods  of  the  Nations  are  Idols :  but  tie 

C  2  LORD 


2O          True  Religion  dilineated       Dis.  L 

LORLmadetheHeavens.  -And  once  more  inPfal.  1 04.  i ,  2  ,&c. 
Blefs  the  Lord.,  O  mySouL — But  why  ?  — T'bou  ar t  very  great y 
thou  art  cloathed  with  Honour  and  Majefty.  —  But  how  does 
this  appear  ? — Why  ? — 'Thou  haftftretched  out  theHeavens  as 
a  Curtain.  And  ^.5.  And  laid  the  Foundations  of  theEarth, 
that  it  cannot  be  removed  for  ever.  And  ^.27.  Ail  wait  upon 
thee+  that  thou  mayftgive  them  their  Me  at  in  dueSeafon.  /.28.^ 
*?bat  thou  givefl  them,  they  gather;  thou  openeft  thy  Hand^they 
are  filled  with  Good.  And  throughout  the  whole  Pfalm  he 
is  meditating  on  the  Creation  &  Frefervation  of  the  World; 
and  viewing  the  divine  Perfections  therein  difcovered,  and 
admiring  the  divine  Glory,  and  wondering  and  adoring  : 
And  finally  concludes  with,  Blefs  the  Lord^  O  my  Soul : 
Pra'fi ye  the  Lord.  But, 

3.  His  Perfections  are  fill  much  more  eminently  difplayed^ 
in  thai  moral  Government ,  which  he  maintains  over  the  intel 
ligent  Part  of  the  Creation  :  especially  his  moral  Perfections. 
In  the  Works  of  Nature  his  natural  Perfections  are  to  be 
feen  :  But  in  his  moral  Government  of  the  World,  he  ads 
out  his  Heart,  and  fhews  the  Temper  of  his  Mind.  In 
deed  all  the  Perfections  of  God  are  to  be  feen  in  the 
Work  of  Creation  :  If  we  view  Angels  and  Men,and  con- 
fider  what  they  were,  as  they  came  firft  out  of  his  Hands ; 
holy  and  pure.  But  ftill  God's  Conduct  towards  them  un^ 
der  the  Character  of  their  King  and  Governour,  more  evi 
dently  difcovers  the  very  Temper  of  his  Heart.  As  the 
Tree  is  known  by  the  Fruit  -9  ib  God's  moral  Perfections 
may  be  known  by  his  moral  Government  of  the  World. 
The  whole  World  was  created  for  a  Stage,  on  which  a  va 
riety  of  Scenes  were  to  be  opened  \  in  and  by  all  which, 
God  defigned  to  exhibit  a  moft  exact  Image  of  himfelf. 
For  as  God  loves  himfelf  infinitely,  for  being  what  he  is  5 
fo  he  takes  infinite  Delight,  in  acting  forth  and  exprefling 
all  his  Heart.  He  loves  to  fee  his  Nature  &  Image  fhine 
in  all  his  Works,  and  to  behold  the  whole  World  filled 
with  his  Glory.  And  he  perfectly  loves  to  have  all  his 
Condud  (the  whole  of  it  taken  together)  an  exaff  Refem- 
blance  of  himfelf ;  and  infinitely  abhors  in  his  publick 
Conduct,  in  the  leaft  to  counter-act  the  Temper  of  his 
Heart  j  fo  as  by  his  publick  Conduft,  to  feem  to  be,  what 

indeed 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  2  * 

indeed  he  is  not.  So  that,  in  his  moral  Governm  ent  of  the 
World  we  may  fee  his  inward  Difpofition,&  difcer  n  the  true 
nature  of  his  moral  Perfections.  And  indeed  all  his  Per- 
fedions  are  herein  difcovered.  Particularly, 

(i.)  His  infinite  Under/landing.  High  on  his  Throne  in 
Heaven  he  fits,  and  all  his  vaft  Dominions  lie  open  to  his 
View.  His  All-feeing  Eye  views  all  his  Courts  above,and 
fees  under  the  whole  Heavens,  looks  thro  the  Earth,  and 
pierces  all  the  dark  Caverns  of  HelL  So  that  his  Acquain 
tance  with  all  Worlds  and  all  Things  is  abfolutely  perfect 
and  compleat.  He  can  behold  all  the  folemn  Worlhip  of 
Heaven,  and  the  inmoft  Thoughts  of  all  that  great  Afiemblys 
he  can  behold  all  the  Sin,  Mifery  and  Confufion  that  over- 
fpread  the  whole  Earth,  and  the  inmoft  Temper  of  every 
Mortal  -,  and  look  thro  Hell  and  fee  all  the  Rebellion  and 
Blafphemy  and  cunning  Devices  of  thofe  infernal  Fiends  : 
And  all  this  at  one  All-Comprehending  View.  And  thus, 
as  high  Governour  of  the  whole  World,  he  continually  be 
holds  all  Things ;  whereby  a  Foundation  is  laid,  for  the 
Exercife  of  all  his  other  Perfections  in  his  Government  over 
all.  See  the  Omnifcience  of  God  elegantly  defcribed  in 
Pfal.  139.  i, — ,12.  And  being  perfectly  acquainted  with 
himfelf,  as  well  as  with  all  his  Creatures  ;  hence,  he  can 
not  but  fee  what  a  Conduct  from  him  towards  them,  will, 
all  Things  considered,  be  mod  right  and  fit  and  amiable, 
and  moft  becoming,  fuch  an  One,  as  he  is  •,  and  alfo,  what 
a  Conduct  from  them  to  him,  is  his  Due  •,  and  their  Duty. 
By  his  infinite  Underftanding  he  is  perfectly  acquainted 
with  Right  and  Wrong,  with  what  is  fit  and  what  unfit : 
And  by  the  moral  Rectitude  of  his  Nature,  he  infinitely 
loves  the  one  and  hates  the  other,  and  is  difpofed  to  conduct 
accordingly,  of  which  more  prefently.  Pfal.  147.  i.  Praife 
ye  the  Lor d9  for  it  is  good  to  fing  Praifes  unto  our  God ;  for  it 
ispleafant,  and  Praife  is  comely. —  But  why  ?  —  ^5.  Great 
is  our  Lord  and  of  great  Power ',  HIS  UNDERSTANDING  is 
INFINITE. —  But  wherein  does  that  appear  ?  — Why,  jt.  4. 
He  telleth  the  Number  of  the  Stars :  He  calk th  them  ALL  by 
their  Names.  Now  if  the  infinite  Underftanding  of  God 
may  be  feen  in  this  one  Particular ;  much  more,  in  the  re 
gular  ordering  and  difpofing  of  ah1  Things,  throughout:  the 

C  3 


22  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

whole  Univerfe  :  And  that,  not  only  in  the  natural^  but 
alfo,  in  the  moral  World. 

(2.)  His  infinite  Power ,  is  diplayed  in  the  Government 
of  the  World.  For  he  does  according  to  his  Pleafure  in 
the  Armies  of  Heaven,  and  among  the  Inhabitants  of  the 
Earth  :  fo  that  none  can  flay  his  Hand,  or  hinder  the  Ex 
ecution  of  his  Defigns. — Have  Rebellions  broke  out  in  any 
Part  of  his  Dominions  ?  He  has  manifeftly  had  the  Re 
bels  intirely  in  his  Hands  •,  they  have  lain  absolutely  at  his 
Mercy  ;  and  he  has  dealt  with  them  according  to  his  fove- 
reign  Pleafure  •,  and  none  has  been  able  to  make  any  Re~ 
fiftance  •,  nor  has  there  been  any  to  deliver  them  out 
of  his  Hands.  —  When  Rebellion  broke  out  in  Heaven, 
he  crufh'd  the  Rebels  in  a  Moment :  They  fell  beneath  the 
Weight  of  his  Hand  ;  they  felt  his  Power,  they  defpaired, 
they  funk  to  Hell.  And  there  he  referves  them  in  Chains, 
nor  can  they  ftir  from  their  dark  Abode,  but  by  his  fpecial 
PermifTion. — And  when  Rebellion  broke  out  upon  Earth,, 
the  Rebels  were  equally  in  his  Hands,  and  at  his  Mercy  ; 
tmable  to  make  any  Refiftance  :  altho5  he  was  pleafed,  in 
his  infinite  Wifdom,  to  take  another  Method  with  them: 
But  he  has  fmce  difcovered  his  Power,  in  treading  down  his 
implacable  Enemies,  under  Foot,  many  a  time.  He  de- 
ftroyed  the  old  World,  burned  Sodorn^  drowned  Pharaoh 
and  his  Hofts,  and  turned  Nebuchadnezzar  into  a  Beaft. 
If  his  Enemies  have  exalted  themfelves,  yet  he  has  been 
above  them,  brought  them  down  ;  and  difcovered  to  all 
the  World,  that  they  are  in  his  Hands,  and  withoutStrength, 
at  his  Difpofal.  Or  if  he  has  fuffered  them  to  go  on  and 
profper,  and  exalt  themfelves  greatly,  yet  ftill  he  has  been 
above  them,  and  has  accomplimed  his  Defigns  by  them, 
and  at  laft  has  brought  them  down.  Haughty  Nebuchad 
nezzar  when  he  had  broken  the  Nations  to  Pieces,  as  if  he 
had  been  the  Hammer  of  the  whole  Earth,  now  tho't  him- 
fe\f  fome-body.  Arid  Alexander  the  Great,  when  conquer 
ing  the  World,  afpired  to  be  thought  the  Son  of  Jupiter. 
But  the  moft  high  God,  the  Great  and  Almighty  Gover 
nor  of  the  World,  Always  had  fuch  Scourges  of  Mankind 
only  as  a  Rod  in  his  Hand,  with  which  he  has  executed 
Judgment  upon  a  wicked  World.  Howbeit  they  meant  not 

fo 


and  dijlmguljhed from  all  Counterfeits.  2  3 

fo,  neither  did  their  Hearts  think  fo.  But  it  was  in  their 
Hearts  to  gratify  their  Ambition,  Avarice  and  Revenge. 
However,  he  was  above  them  ;  and  always  fuch  have  been 
in  his  Hands  as  the  Ax  is  in  the  Hands  of  him  that  hewetb 
therewith,  or  as  the  Saw  is  in  the  Hands  of  him  that  Jhaketb 
it  -,  or  as  the  Rod  is  in  the  Hand  of  him  that  lifteth  it  up. 
And  when  he  has  done  with  the  Rod,  he  always  breaks  it 
and  burns  it.  See  Ifai.  10.  5 — 19. 

And  as  this  great  King  has  difcovered  his  Almighty 
Power  by  crushing  Rebellions  in  his  Kingdom,  and  fubdu- 
ing  Rebels  ;  fo  he  has  alib,  in  protecting  his  Friends,  and 
working  Deliverance  for  his  People.  He  made  a  Path  for 
his  People  thro  the  Sea  ;  he  led  them  thro'  the  Wilder- 
nefs.  He  gave  them  Water  to  drink  out  of  the  Rock  ;  and 
fed  them  with  Angels  Food.  In  the  Day  time  he  led  them 
by  a  Cloud  ;  aad  all  the  Night  with  the  Light  of  Fire, 
He  brought  them  to  the  promifed  Land,  and  drove  out 
the  Heathen  before  them  :  and  in  all  their  DiftrefTes,  when 
ever  they  cried  unto  him,  he  delivered  them.  And  as  the 
fupreme  Governour  of  the  World,  did  thus  in  the  Days  of 
old  .difcover  his  Almighty  Power  in  governing  among  his 
Intelligent  Creatures  ;  fo  he  is  ftill  in  various  Ways  and 
Manners,  in  his  Providential  Difpenfations,  evidently  dif- 
coyering  that  he  can  do  all  Things.  And  his  People  fee 
it,  and  believe  it ;  and  admire,  &adore.  Read  Pfal.  1 05, 

(3.)  Again,  His  infinite  Wifdom,  is  difcovered  in  an  end- 
lefs  Variety  of  Inftances,  in  all  his  Government  throughout 
all  his  Dominions  -,  in  his  managing  all  Things  to  the 
Glory  of  his  Majefty,  to  the  Good  of  his  loyal  Subjects, 
and  to  the  Confufion  of  his  Foes.  There  has  never  any 
Thing  happened  in  all  his  Dominions,  and  never  will  -,  but 
has  been  and  mall  be,  made  entirely  fubfervient  to  his 
Honour  and  Glory.  Even  the  Contempt  caft  upon  him 
by  his  rebellious  Subjects,  he  turns  to  his  greater  Glory* 
As  in  the  Cafe  of  Pbaraok,v/ho  fet  up  himfelf  againft  God, 
#nd  faid,  Who  is  the  Lord  that  IJhould  obey  him  ?  I  know  not 
the  Lord,  nor  will  I  let  Ifrael  go.  And  he  exalted  himfelf  and 
dealt  proudly  &  haughtily  ;  and  hardened  his  Heart,  and 
was  refolved  he  would  not  regard  God,  nor  be  bowed  nor 
conquered  by  him  :  for  he  defpifed  him  in  his  Heart.  But 

C  4 


24  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

the  more  he  carried  himfelf,  as  if  there  were  no  God ;  the 
more  were  the  Being  &  Perfections  of  God  made  manifeft. 
For  the  more  he  hardened  his  Heart,  the  more  ftout  and 
ftubborn  he  was,  the  more  God  honoured  himfelf  ir\  fub- 
duing  him.  Yea,  God  in  his  infinite  Wifdom  fuffered  him 
to  be  as  high  and  haughty,  as  ftout  and  ftubborn  as  he 
pleafed  ;  he  took  off  all  Reftraints  from  him,  permitted 
the  Magicians  to  imitate  the  Miracles  ofMofes,  fo  that  Pha 
raoh  in  feeing  might  not  fee,  nor  be  convinced  :  and  he 
ordered  that  the  Plagues  mould  lad  but  for  a  fhort  Sea- 
fon,  that  Pharoah  might  have  Refpite  ;  and  thus  it  was 
that  God  hardned  his  Heart.  And  God  in  his  infinite 
Wifdom  did  all  this  with  a  View  to  his  own  Glory.  As 
he  tells  Pharaoh  by  the  Hand  of  Mofes.  —  "  Such  and 
fuch  Plagues  I  defign  to  bring  upon  you,  and  to  do  fo,  and 
fo,  with  you."  And  indeed  for  this  Caufe  have  I  raifed  thee 
up)  for  tojhew  in  tbee,  my  Power,  and  that  my  Name  may  be 
declared^  throughout  all  the  Earth ',  Exod.  9.  16.  And  ac 
cordingly  God  was  illuftriouily  honoured  at  laft  upon  Pha 
roah ,  and  upon  all  his  Hoft,  at  the  Red-fea.  And  the 
Egyptians^  and  all  the  neighbouring  Nations,  were  made 
to  know  that  he  was  the  LORD  :  and  his  Name  became 
dreadful  among  the  Heathen.  And  we  find  that  in  three 
or  four  Hundred  Years  after,  the  Philiftines  had  not  for 
gotten  it.  For  when  the  Ark  in  the  Days  of  £//,  was  car 
ried  into  the  Camp  of  Ifrael  •,  thePbiliftines  were  fore  afraid  ; 
and  faid,  "God  is  come  into  the  Camp  j  Wo  unto  us. 
"  Who  fhall  deliver  us  out  of  the  Hands  of  thefe  mighty 
*c  Gods  ?  Thefe  are  the  Gods  that  fmote  the  Egyptians, 
"  with  all  the  Plagues  in  the  Wildernefs  &c."  i  Sam.  4. 

So  God  wifely  ordered  and  over-ruled  all  Things,  that 
befell  the  Children  of  Ifrael  in  the  Wildernefs,  to  accom- 
plifh  the  Ends  he  had  in  View.  His  Defigns  were  to  get 
himfelf  a  great  Name,  and  fill  the  whole  Earth  with  his 
Glory  (Num.  14.  21.)  and  to  try  and  humble  his  People, 
and  make  them  know,  that  it  was  not  for  their  Righteouf- 
nefs,that  he  brought  them  into  theLand  of 'Canaan  (Deut.g.) 
And  every  Thing  that  came  to  pafs,  for  thofe  forty  Years, 
was  admirably  calculated  to  attain  thefe  Ends.  The  News 
?f  Pharaoh's  Overthrow,  of  God's  coming  down  upon 

Mount 


and  difttnguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  2  5 

Mount  Sinai,  and  abiding  there  for  fo  long  a  Time,  with 
fuch  awful  Majefty  •,  and  of  the  Pillar  of  Cloud  by  Day, 
and  of  Fire  by  Night ;  of  the  Manna,  of  the  Water  flow 
ing  out  of  a  Rock  and  following  them,  of  their  Murmur- 
ings  and  Infurre&ions,  and  God's  Judgments  upon  them ; 
I  fay,  the  News  of  thefe3  and  of  other  Things  of  this  Na 
ture,  that  happened  to  them  for  thofe  forjy  Years ;  flew  all 
the  World  over,  and  filled  all  the  Nations  of  the  Earth 
with  the  greateft  Aftonifhment  •,  and  made  them  think 
there  was  no  God,  \\kethtGodofIfrael.  (Numb.  14. 1 3,14, 1 5.) 
By  all  thefe  Things  •,  and  by  God's  bringing  his  People  at 
lafl  to  the  PofTeffion  of  the  Land  of  Canaan^  according  to 
his  Promife  ;  there  was  exhibited  a  Specimen  of  God's 
infinite  Knowledge,  Power,  Wifdom,  Holinefs,  Juftice, 
Goodnefs  &  Truth  :  and  that  before  the  Eyes  of  all  the 
Nations.  And  fo  the  whole  Earth  was  filled  with  his 
Glory  :  i.  e.  with  the  clear  Manifeftations  of  thofe  Per 
fections  in  which  his  Glory  confifts.  And  thus  his  great 

End  was  obtained. And   in  t»he  mean  time,   all  the 

Wandrings,  and  Trials,  and  Sins  and  Sorrows  of  the  Chil 
dren  of  Ifrael^  together  with  all  the  wonderful  Works 
which  their  Eyes  beheld,  and  wherein  God  difcovered 
himfelf,  for  thofe  forty  Years  •,  had  a  natural  Tendency  to 
try  them,  to  humble  them,  and  break  their  Hearts,  and 
make  them  know,  that  not  for  their  Righteoufnefs,  nor 
for  the  Uprightnefs  of  their  Hearts,  did  God  at  laft  mew 
them  that  great  Mercy :  and  to  convince  them  of  the  ex 
ceeding  great  Obligations  they  were  under  to  love,and  fear, 
and  ferve  the  Lord  for  ever.  And  fo  the  other  great  End 
which  God  had  in  View  was  accomplifhed.  Deut.  8.  fcf  9, 

and  10.  Chap. -And  now,  all  thefe  Things  were  by  God 

wifely  done  ;  and  in  this  his  Conduct^his  infinite  Wifdom  ii 

to  be  feen.* And  thus  it  is  in  all  God's  Difpenfations, 

thro* 

<4 

*  If  God  had  fo  ordered,  that  Abraham  had  been  born  in  the  Land  of 
Canaan,  and  his  Pofterity  had  multiplied  greatly,and  the  other  Nationi 
gradually  by  Sicknefles  and  Wars  had  wafted  away  and  come  to  no 
thing,  until  there  were  none  but  the  Pofterity  of  Abraham  left,  and 
they  had  filled  the  Land  ;  God's  Hand  then  would  not  have  been 
ieen  :  none  of  thefe  excellent  Ends  attained  :  all  would  have  been 

refolved 


26  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

thro'out  all  his  Dominions,  with  Regard  to  the  whole 
Univerfe  in  general,  and  to  every  intelligent  Creature  in 
particular.  His  Works  are  all  done  in  Wifdom  ;  and  fo 
his  infinite  Wifdom  is  difcovered  in  all.  And  hence  God 
appears  infinitely  glorious  in  the  Eyes  of  his  People.  Deut. 
32.3,4  Pfal.  104.24.^5?  105.  i 45.  iC0r.i.'24 — 31. 

(4.)  Again,  His  infinite  Purity  and  Holinefs,  is  alfo  dif 
covered  in  his  Government  of  the  World  :  in  all  that  he 
has  done,  to  eftablifh  Right  ^  and  difcountenance  Wrong^ 
thro'out  all  his  Dominions.  His  creating  Angels  &  Men 
in  his  own  Image,  with  his  Law  written  on  their  Hearts, 
manifefted  his  Difpofition,  and  mewed  what  he  was  pleafed 
with  :  But  his  publick  Conduct  as  moral  Governour  of  the 
World,  has  more  evidently  difcovered,  the  very  Temper 
of  his  Heart  -,  and  fhewn  how  he  loves  Right  and  hates 
Wrong^  to  an  infinite  Degree.  Governours  among  Men 
difcover  much  of  their  Difpofition,and  fhew  what  they  love 
and  what  they  hate,  by  their  Laws  :  and  they  fhew  how 
fervent  their  Love  &  Hatred  is,  by  all  the  Methods  they 
take  to  enforce  them  :  And  fo  does  the  great  Governour 
of  the  World.  By  his  Laws,  by  his  Promifes  &  Threat* 
nings  -,  by  his  paft  Conduct,  and  declared  Defigns  for  the 
future,  he  manifefts  how  he  loves  moral  Good  and  hates 
moral  Evil. 

By  his  infinite  Underflanding,  he  is  perfectly  acquainted: 
with  Himfelf,  and  with  all  his  intelligent  Creatures  :  and 
fo  perfectly  knows  what  a  Conduct  in  him  towards  them 
is  right,  fit  &  beautiful,  andfucb  as  becomes  fuch  a  One 
as  he  is.  And  alfo,  perfectly  knows  what  a  Conduct  in  his 
Creatures  towards  him,  and  towards  each  other,  is  fit  and 
amiable,  and  fo  their  Duty,  He  fees  what  is  right,  and 

infinitely 

xefolved  into  natural  Caufes. — -  Therefore  God  contrived  where^m- 
bam  ftiould  be  born  ;  how  he  fhould  leave  his  own  Country  ;  have  a 
Promife  of  the  Land  of  Canaan  ;  and  how  his  Seed  fhould  come  to 
ke  in  Egypt,  come  to  be  in  great  Bondage  and  Djilrefs  ;  how  he 
would  fend,  and  how  he  would  deliver  them,  and  how  they  mould 
carry  themfelves,  and  what  ffcould  happen  ;  and  how  every  Thing 
ihould  turn  out  at  laft  :  He  laid  the  whole  Plan,  with  a  View  tothofe 
(excellent  Ends  his  Eye  was  upon.  It  was  wifely  contrived  :  and 
when  it  came  to  be  afted  over,  his  infinite  Wifdom  was  difcowed, 


and  diftinguljhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   2  7 

infinitely  loves  it,  becaufe  it  is  right.  He  fees  what  is 
wrong,  and  infinitely  hates  it,  becaufe  it  is  wrong.  And 
in  his  whole  Conduct  as  Governour  of  the  World,  he  ap 
pears  to  be  juft  what  he  is  at  Heart  •,  an  infinite  Friend  to 
Right,  and  an  infinite  Enemy  to  Wrong. 

He  takes  State^  fets  up  Himfelf  as  a  GOD,  bids  all  the 
World  adore  him,  love  and  obey  him,  with  all  their  Hearts  ; 
and  that  upon  Pain  of  eternal  Damnation,  in  Cafe  of  the 
leaft  Defect  :  and  promifes  eternal  Life  and  Glory,  in  Cafe 
of  perfect  Obedience.     This  is  the  Language  of  his  Law, 
Thoujhalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  Heart ,  and  thy 
Neighbour  as  thy  felf.     Do  this  and  live.   Difobey  and  die. — 
And  now  all  that  infinite  Eileem  for  himfelf,  and  infinite 
Regard  for  his  own  Honour,  which  he  herein  does  mani- 
feft,  does  not  refult  from  a  proud  or  a,  felfiih  Spirit  :  for 
there  is  no  fuchThing  in  his  Nature.     Nor  does  he  threaten 
Damnation  for  Sin,becaufe  it  hurts  him ;  or  promife  eternal 
Life  to  Obedience,  becaufe  it  does  him  any  good  :  For  he  is 
infinitely  above  us,  and  abfolutely  independent  on  us,  and 
cannot  receive  Advantage,orDifadvantage  from  us.  Job  2  2 . 
2,3.  and  35.6,7.  But  it  refults  from  the  infiniteHolinefs  of  his 
Nature. —  He  loves  and  honours  himfelf  as  he  does  ;   be 
caufe,  fmce  he  is  what  he  is,   it  is  right  and  fit  he  fhould. 
He  bids  the  World  adore,  love  &  obey  him  with  all  their 
Hearts,  becaufe  confidering  what  he  is,  and  what  they  be, 
it  is  infinitely  fit  and  right.     He  commands  us  to  love  our 
Neighbour  as  our  felves,  becaufe  this  alfo  in  the  Nature  of 
Things  is  right.     And  while  he  promifes  eternal  Life  to 
the  obedient,  and  threatens  eternal  Damnation  to  the  dif- 
obedient,  he  fhews  how  infinitely  he  loves  Righteoufnefs, 
and  hates  Iniquity.     His  promifing  eternal  Life  and  Glory 
to  perfect  Obedience,  does  indeed  manifeft  the   infinite 
Goodnefs  &  Bountifulnefs  of  his  Nature  :  but  then  his  pro 
mifing  all  under  the  Notion  of  a  Reward,  difcovers  this 
Temper  of  his  Heart,  his  infinite  love  to  Right. 

As  to  all  his  pofitive  Injunctions,  they  are  evidently  d<s 
figned  to  promote  a  Conformity  to  the  moral  Law.  And 
as  to  the  moral  Law,  it  is  originally  founded  upon  the  very 
Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things.  TheDuties  required  there- 
*n,  are  required  originally  becaufe  they  are  right  in  them-- 

felves. 


28  True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  I. 

felves.  And  the  Sins  forbidden,  are  forbidden  originally, 
becaufe  they  are  unfit  and  wrong  ii  themfelves.  The  in- 
trinfiek  fitnefs  of  the  Thing:  required,  and  the  intrinfick 
unfitnefs  of  the  Things  forbidden,  was  the  original  Ground, 
Reafon  &  Foundation  of  his  Law.  Thus  he  bids  all  the 
World  love  him  with  all  their  Hearts  ;  becaufe  he  is  the 
Lord  their  God  :  and  love  one  another  as  Brethren,becaufc 
they  are  all  Children  of  the  fame  common  Father,  having 
the  fame  Nature.  He  requires  this  fupreme  Love  to  him- 
felf,  and  this  mutual  Love  among  his  Subjects,  becaufe  it 
is  right  that  fo  it  mould  be  •,  and  becaufe  he  perfectly  loves 
that  the  Thing  that  is  right  fhould  be  done  ;  and  not  from 
any  Advantage  that  can  poflibly  accrue  unto  him  from  the 
Behaviour  of  his  Creatures.  And  he  forbids  the  contrary, 
becaufe  it  is  wrong,  and  therefore  infinitely  hateful  in  his 
Sight,  &  not  becaufe  it  could  beanyDifadvantage  to  him. — 
All  the  Glory  &  Bleflednefs  which  he  beftows  upon  theAn- 
gels  in  Heaven  under  the  Notion  of  a  Reward  to  their  O- 
bedience^  is  not  becaufe  their  Obedience  does  him  any  Good  ; 
for  it  does  not  :  nor  becaufe  they  deferve  any  Thing  from 
his  Hands  ;  for  they  do  not  :  (Rom.i  1.35,30.)  but  merely 
becaufe  it  is  RIGHT,  that  they  Ihould  in  all  Things  obey 
him.  This  is  what  he  loves,  and  what  he  delights  to  ho 
nour.  And  all  the  infinite,  eternal  Glories  of  Heaven  can 
but  juft  ferve  as  a  fufficientTeftimony  of  his  Approbation.— 
So  on  the  other  Hand,  it  was  not  in  a  Paflion,  or  from 
fuddden  rafh  Revenge,  (which  many  Times  influences  fin- 
ful  Men  to  cruel  &  barbarous  Deeds,)  that  he  turned  thofe 
that  finned  down  into  Hell  -,  and  for  their  firft  Offence 
doomed  them  to  everlafting  Wo,  without  the  leaft  Hope. 
For  there  is  no  fuch  Thing  in  his  Nature.  As  he  is  not 
capable  of  being  injured  as  we  be,  fo  neither  is  he  capable 
of  fuch  Anger  as  we  feel.  No  :  the  Thing  they  did,  was 
in  itfelf  infinitely  wrong,  and  that  was  the  true  &  only 
"Caufe  of  his  infinite  Difpleafure  •,  which  infinite  Difplea- 
fure,  he  meant  to  declare  and  make  known,  in  the  Sight 
of  all  Worlds,  throughout  the  endlefs  Ages  of  Eternity, 
by  rend'ring  to  them  according  to  their  Deferts.  For  he 
loves  to  appear  as  great  an  Enemy  to  Sin,  in  his  Condudr., 
as  he  is  in  his  Heart,  He  loves  to  aft  .out  his  Heart,  and 

exhibit 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  2  9 

exhibit  a  true  Image  of  himfelf.  —  His  infinite  Love  to 
Righteoufnefs  and  hatred  of  Iniquity,  is  alfo  difplayed  in 
his  promifmg  eternal  Life  &  Bleffecinefs  to  Adam  and  to  all 
his  Race,  a  whole  World  of  Beings,  as  a  Reward  to  the 
Obedience  of  Adam  •,  by  him  conitituted  publick  Head 
and  Reprefentative  •,  on  the  one  Hand  :  and  threatning 
eternal  Deftruction  to  him  and  all  his  Race,  a  whole  World 
of  Beings,  in  Cafe  of  the  leaft  Tranfgreilion  ;  on  the  other 
Hand. — But  his  infinite  love  to  Righteoufnefs,  and  hatred 
of  Iniquity,  is  marrifefted  in  the  greateft  Perfection,  in  the 
Death  of  Jefus  Chrift,  his  only  begotten  Son. — But  of  this 
more  afterwards. — In  a  Word,  all  theBleffings  which  he 
has  granted  to  the  godly  in  this  World  ;  as  Rewards  of 
their  Vertue  ;  to  Abel,  Enoch  ^  andNoab  -9  to  Lot9  to  Abra 
ham,  Ifaac  and  Jacob  &c  :  and  all  the  Judgments  which 
he  has  executed  upon  the  Wicked,  his  turning  Adam  out 
of  Paradife,  drowning  the  old  World,  burning  Sodom^  &c. 
together  with  all  the  Evils  which  befell  the  Children  of 
Ifraely  in  the  Wildernefs,  in  the  Time  of  the  Judges,in  the 
Reigns  of  their  Kings  ;  and  their  long  Captivity  in  Baby- 
Ion  &c.  have  all  been  publick  leftimonies  that  the  righteous 

Lord  loveth  Righteoufnefs,  and  hateth  Iniquity. And 

in  Heaven  and  in  Hell,  he  defigns  to  difplay  to  all  Eter 
nity,  in  the  moft  glorious  and  dreadful  Manner,  how  infi 
nitely  he  loves  Righteoufnefs  and  hates  Iniquity. 

Now  when  true  Believers,  who  are  divinely  enlightned, 
meditate  on  and  view  the  Laws,  the  Conduct,  and  the  de 
clared  Defigns,  of  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  ; 
they  love,  admire  and  adore  j  and  fay,  Holy,  holy,  holy, 
Lord  God  of  Hofts,  the  whole  World  is  full  of  thy  Glory. 
This  divine  Difpofition,  to  love  Righteoufnefs  and  hate 
Iniquity,  which  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  thus 
difcovers  in  all  his  Government,  appears  infinitely  beauti 
ful  and  glorious,  excellent  and  amiable,  in  their  Eyes  : 
Whence  they  are  ready  to  fay,JF&<?  is  like  unto  tbee,  O  Lord, 
among  the  Gods  ?  Wbo  is  Me  unto  tbee?  Glorious  in  Holinefs. 
-As  they  in  Exod.  15,  11.  *  (5.)  His 

If  we  fhould  fuppofe  (as  fome  do)  thafthere  is  nothing  right  or  wrong 
antecedent  to  a  Confideration  of  the  fofittve  Will  and  Law  of  God, 
the  greac  Governour  of  the  World  ;  And  that  %/^/and  Wrong  refult 

originally 


30  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

(5.)  His  impartial  Juftice.>  is  alfo  difcovered  in  his  moral 
Government  of  the  World.  He  appears  in  his  publick 
Conduct,  as  One  infinitely  engaged  to  give  to  every  one 
their  Due  :  and  as  One  abfolutely  governed  by  a  Spirit  of 
the  moft  perfectly  difintereited  Impartiality. — He  appears 
as  One  infinitely  engaged  to  maintain  the  Rights  of  the 
God-head,  and  to  fecure  that  Glory  to  the  divine  Being  that 
is  his  proper  Due  ;  and  that  by  the  Law  which  he  has 
eilablilhed,  in  Heaven  and  on  Earth,  binding  all  to  love, 
worfhip  and  obey  him,  as  GOD,  upon  Pain  of  eternal 
Damnation.  And  fo  again,  he  appears  as  One  infinitely 

engaged 

originally  from  his  fwereign   Will  and   alfoktte   Authority   entirely  ; 
then  thefe  manifeft  Abfurdities  would  unavoidably  follow, 

I .  That  the  moral  Perfections  of  God  are  empty  Names*  without  any 
Signification  at  all.  For  if  there  be  no  intririfick  moral  fitnefs  and  un- 
fitnefs  in  Things,no  Right  nor  Wrong,  then  there  is  no  fuch  Thing  as 
moral  Beauty  or  moral  Deformity  ;  and  fo  no  Foundation  in  the  Na 
ture  of  Things  for  any  moral  Propenfity  ;  i.  e.  there  is  nothing  for 
God  to  love  or  hate,  confidered  as  a  moral  Agent,  There  can  be 
no  Inclination  or  Difpofition  in  him  to  love  Right  and  hate  Wrong, 
if  there  be  no  fuch  TKing  as  Pvight  or  Wrong.  So  that  the  only  Idea 
we  could  frame  of  God,  would  be  that  of  an  Almighty  defpotic  So 
vereign,  who  makes  his  own  Will  his  only  Rule,  without  any  Re 
gard  to  right  or  wrong,  good  or  evil,  juft  orunjuft.  An  Idea  of  the 
infinitely  glorious  and  ever-bieffed  God,  evidently  as  contrary  to 
Truth,  as  can  be  devifed. 

2.  That  in  the  Nature  of  Things   there  is  no  more  Re.afon  to  love  and 
obey  God,  than  there  is  to  hate  and  difobey  him  :     There    being   in   the 
Nature  of  Things  no  right  nor  wrong.     Juft  as  if  God  was  not  infi 
nitely  worthy  of  our  higheft  Efteem   and  moft   perfect  Obedience  ! 
And  juft  as  if  in  the  Nature  of  Things  there  was  no  Reafon  why  we 
fhould  love  and  obey  Him,   but  merely  becaufe   he  is  the  greateft 
and  ftrongeft,  and  fays  we  muft  !    Than  which  nothing  can  be  more 
evidently  abfurd,     But  if  thefe  Things  be  fo,  then  it  will  follow, 

3.  That  there  is  no  Reafon  why  he  Jhouid  require  his  Creatures  to  love 
and  obey  him^  or  forbid  the  contrary  :    or  why  he  Jhould  reward  the  one, 
or  puni/b  the  other  :    There  being  in  the  Nature  of  Things  no  Right 
nor  Wrong.     And  fo  the  Foundation  of  God's  Law  and  Government 
is  overturned,  and  all  Religion  torn  up  by  the  Roots.    And  nothing 
is  left  but  arbitrary  Tyranny  and  forvile  Subje&ion.    All  exprefly 
contrary  to  Gen.   18.  25.  Heb.  I.  9.   Eph.  6.   i.   Rom.  12.   i.  Rev. 
4.    II.  Rom.  7.   12.  Rom.  2.  4,  5,6.  Rev.  19.    I- — 6.  Ezek.  18.25. 

Or  again,  if  we  mould  fuppofe  (as  others  do)  that  there  is  no 
thing  right  or  wrong,  antecedent  to  a  Confideration  of  the  general 
Good  of  the  whole  Syftem  of  intelligent  created  Beings  -,  And  that 

Right 


and  diftingulfbed from  all  Counterfeits.   3 1 

engaged  to  fecure  all  his  Subjects  here  upon  Earth  in  a 
quiet  and  peaceable  PoflefTion  every  one  of  their  own  pro 
per  Rights.  And  that  by  ftri&ly  enjoining  every  one  to 
love  his  Neighbour  as  himfelf,  and  always  do  as  he  would 
be  done  by,  and  that  upon  Pain  of  eternal  Damnation. 
(Gal 3. 10.  Deut.  27.  26.) — •  And  he  appears  as  One  go 
verned  by  a  Spirit  of  the  mod  perfe&ly  difmterefled  Im 
partiality,  in  that  he  fpared  not  the  Angels  that  finned, 

who 

Right  and  Wrong  refult  originally  and  entirely  from  the  natural  Ten- 
dency  of  Things  to  promote,  or  hinder  the  general  Good  of  the 
whole  :  Then  alfo  thefe  manifefl  Abfurdities  will  unavoidably  follow, 

1.  That  the  moral  Perfections  of  God  entirely  confeft  in,  or  refult  from  a 
Difpofaion  to  lo<ve  his  Creatures  fupremely,    and  feek  their  Hafpinefs   as 
his  only  End,     Juft  as  if  it  became  the  moft  High,  to  make  a  God  of 
his  Creatures  ;  and  Himfelf  their  Servant !  Exprefly  contrary  to  Rom. 
II.    36.  Numb.    14.  Rev.  4.    II. 

2.  That  God  loves  Vertue  and  rewards  it,  merely  becaufe  it   tends   to 
make  his  Creatures  happy  :  and  hates  Vice  and  puni/hes  it,    merely  becaufe 
it  tends  to  make  his  Creatures  miferable.     Juft  as  if  he   had  no  Regard 
to  the  Rights  of  the  God-head,  nor  cared  how  much  Contempt  was 
caft  upon  the  glorious  Majefty  of  Heaven  !     Exprefly  contrary  to 
Exod.   32.  Numb.   14.    i   Sam.   2.   29,   30.   2  Sam.    12.    IO,  14.  PfaL 
51.  4. 

3.  That  he  requires  us  to  love  and  obey  him,   merely  becaufe  it  tends  to 
make  us  happy,    and  forbids   the  contrary    merely    becaufe  it  tends  to  make 
us  miferable.     Juft  as  if  he  had  no  Senfe  of  the  infinite  Glory  and  Ex 
cellency  of  his  Nature,  and  our  infinite  Obligations  to  love  and  obey 
him  thence  arifing  !  Andjuft  as  if  he  thought  it  no  Crime  inus,to  treat 
him  with  the  greateft  Contempt  !  Andjuft  as  if  nothing  could  raife 
his  Refentment  but  merely  the  Injury  done  to  our  felves  !    Exprefly 
contrary  to  Numb.   14.   2  Sam.   12.  '10,  14.  &c. 

4.  That  <vut  are  under  no  Obligations  to  lo've  God,   but  merely  bcaufe  it*. 
tends  to  make  us  happy  ;  and  that  it  is  noCrime  to  hate,and  blafpheme  God, 
but  merely  becaufe  it  tends   to  make  us  miferable.     But   if  fo,  then  the 
Mifery  which  naturally  refults  from  hating  and  blafpheming  God,  is 
exaftly  equal  to  the  Crime  :    And  therefore  no  pofitive  inflicted  Pu- 
nifhment   is  deferred  in  this   World,  or  in  that  which  is  to  come. 
And  therefore  all  the  Punilhments,  which  God  does  inflicT:  upon  Sin 
ners  in  this  World,  and  for  ever  in  Hell,    are  intirely  undeferved. 
And  fo  his  Law  and  Government,  inftead  of  being  holy  juft  and  good, 
are  infinitely  unreafonable,    tyrannical   and   cruel.  -—  To  fay,  that 
God  punifhes  fome  of  his  fmful  Creatures,  merely  to  keep  others  in 
Awe,  whenas  they  do  not  in  the  leaft  deferve  any  Puni  foment,   is  to 
fuppofe  the  great  Goyernour  of  the  World  to   do  Evil  that  Good 
may  come,  and  yet  at  the  fame  Time  to  take  the  moft  direft  Courfe 
to  render  himfelf  odious  throughout  all  his  Dominions,     It  is  impofli- 

b!e 


32          'True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

who  were  feme  of  the  nobleft  of  all  his  Creatures  :  and  in 
that  he  is  determined  not  to  fpare  impenitent  Sinners  at  the>. 
Day  of  Judgment,  tho'  they  cry  ever  ib  earneilly  for 
Mercy  :  But  above  all,  in  that  he  fpared  not  his  only  be 
gotten  Son,  when  he  flood  in  the  Room  of  Sinners. —  If 
ever  any  poor  guilty  Wretch,  round  theWorld,feels  tempt 
ed  to  think  that  God  is  cruel  for  dcmnmgSinners,arid  does 
not  do  as  he  would  be  done  by,  if  he  was  in  their  Cafe, 
and  they  in  his  :  Let  him  come  away  to  the  Crofs  of 
Chrift,and  fee  God's  own  Son,his  fecond  Self,  there  nailed 
up,  naked,  bleeding,groaning,dying,  in  the  greateft  pofTiblc 
Contempt,Ignominy  &:  Shame,before  ten  Thcufand  iniult- 
ing,  blood-thirfty  Spectators.  And  let  him  know  that  this 
Jefus  is  GOD  :  A  Perfon  of  infinitely  greater  Dignity 
andWorth,  than  all  Creatures  in  Heaven  &  Earth  put  to 
gether  ;  and  infinitely  dear  to  the  great  Governour  of  the 
World,  even  juft  as  dear  as  his  own  Self,  and  upon  whom 
he  would  not  lay  thefe  Sufferings  any  fooner  than  upon 
himfelf :  I  fay,  let  him  fland  and  look  and  gaze,  and 
learn,  that  God  does  exactly  as  he  would  be  done  by, 
when  he  damns  Sinners  to  all  Eternity,  were  he  in  their 

Cafe, 

ble  to  account  for  the  Punifhments  which  God  has  inflicled  upon 
Sinners  in  this  World,  and  defigns  to  inflict  upon  them  for  ever  in 
Hell,  without  fuppofmg  that  there  is  an  infinite  Evil  in  Sin,  over 
and  above  what  refults  from  its  natural  tendency  to  make  us  mi- 
ferable  :  and  that  therefore  we  are  under  infinite  Obligations  to  love 
and  obey  God  antecedent  to  any  Confideration  of  it's  tendency  to 
make  us  happy. 

From  all  which  it  is  evident  to  Demonftration,  that  Right  and 
Wrong,  do  neither  refult  from  the  mere  Will  and  Law  of  God,  nor 
from  any  tendency  of  Things  to  promote  or  hinder  the  Happinefs 
of  God's  Creatures.  It  remains  therefore,  that  there  is  an  intrinfic 
moral  Fitnefs  and  Unfitnefs  abfolutely  in  Things  themfelves  :  As 
that  we  mould  love  the  infinitely^glorious  God,  is  in  the  [Nature  of 
Things  infinitely  fit  and  right ;  and  to  hate  and  blafpheme  him,  is 
in  the  Nature  of  Things  infinitely  unfit  and  wrong  :  And  that  an 
tecedent  to  any  Confideration  of  Advantage  or  Difadvantage,  Reward 
orPunifhment,  or  even  of  the  Will  or  Law  of  God.  And  hence  it  is, 
that  God  infinitely  loves  Right  &  hates  Wrong,and  appears  fo  infinitely 
engaged  to  reward  the  one,  and  puniih  the  other.  And  hence  his 
Law  and  Government  are  holy,  juft  and  good.  They  are  glorious; 
and  in  and  by  them  the  infinite  Glory  of  the  divine  Nature  mines  for$i. 
}fai.  6.  3.  &«?.  4.  8,  Rw.  19.  i—6. 


and  dijlmguifned from  all  Counterfeits.  3  3 

Cafe,  and  they  in  his  ( if  I  may  Jo  fay,  when  fpeaking  of 
the  moil  high  God)  fmce  that  for  his  own  Son,  a  Per  ion 
of  infinite  Dignity,  to  fuffer  all  thefe  Things,  is  equi 
valent  to  the  eternal  Torments  of  finite  Creatures. — 
Indeed,  it  was  not  becaufe  he  was  not  a  Being  of 
infinite  Goodnefs,  that  he  treated  his  own  Son  fo ;  nor 
is  it  becaufe  he  has  no  Regard  to  his  Creatures  Happinefs, 
that  he  defigns  to  damn  the  finally  Impenitent :  but  it  is 
merely  becaufe  Sin  is  an  infinite  Evil,  and  according  to 
ftrict  Juftice  worthy  of  an  infinite  Punifhment :  it  is  right 
and  fit  that  he  iliould  do  as  he  does,  and  therefore  his 
Conduct  will  for  ever  appear  infinitely  glorious  and  beauti 
ful  in  the  Eyes  of  all  holy  Beings.  Pfal.  96.  n,  12,  13. 
Let  the  Heavens  rejoyce,  and  let  the  Earth  be  glad  :  Let  the 
Sea  rore  and  the  fuinefs  thereof.  Let  the  Field  be  joyful,  and 
all  that  is  therein  :  Then  Jh&ll  all  the  Tress  of  the  Wood  re- 
jcyce.  Before  the  Lord  ;  for  he  cometh,  for  he  cometh,  to 
judge  the  Earth  :  He  /hall  judge  tie  World  with  Righteouf- 
nefs^  and  the  People  with  his  Truth.  See  alfo  Rev.  19. 

(6.)  His  infinite  Goodnefs^  is  alfo  difcove-red  in  his  Go 
vernment  of  the  World.  For  all  the  Laws  of  this  great 
and '  good  Governour  are  fuited  in  their  own  Nature  to 
advance  all  his  Subjects  to  the  higheft  Perfection  they  are 
capable  of.  His  Law  teaches  us  to  view  all  Things  juft  as 
they  be,  and  to  have  our  Will  &  Affedions  entirely  go- 
•verned  by  the  Truth,  by  the  very  Reafcn  and  Nature  of 
Things.  And  fo  to  be  according  to  the  Meafure  of  fuch 
finite  Creatures,  in  our  Wills  and  in  the  Temper  of  our 
Minds,  after  the  Image  of  the  blefTed  and  glorious  God, 
which  is  the  higheft  Dignity  and  Perfection,  we  are  pofli- 
bly  capable  of.  Wlien  God  commands  us  to  be  holy  as 
he  is  holy,  he  enjoins  that  as  our  Duty,  which  at  the  lame 
Time  is  our  higheft  poflible  Priviledge.  He  bids  us  be 
like  the  Angels,  and  begin  our  Heaven  upon  Earth ;  yea, 
even  to  participate  of  a  Glory  &  Bleffednefs,  cf  the  f;  me 
Nature  with  that,  which  he  himfelf  enjoys.  To  behold  his 
Glory,  to  be  ravifhed  with  his  Beauty,  to  efteem  him 
fupremely,live  to  him  entirely,&  delight  in  him  fuperlative- 
!y,and  to  become  like  him  in  ourViews  cf  Things,&  in  the 

D  Temper 


34         True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

Temper  of  our  Minds,  is  our  higheft  Dignity,  Glory  and 

Excellency,  and  our  higheft  Bleflednefs. And  befides, 

his  Laws  are  ftill  further  calculated  to  promote  the  Wel 
fare  of  his  Subjects,  in  that  they  are  fuited  to  eflablifh  a 
univerfal  Love,  Peace  &;  Harmony,  throughout  all  his 
Dominions.  Love  thy  Neighbour  as  thy  felf,  is  one  of  the 
fundamental  Laws  of  his  Kingdom.  And  were  his  Au 
thority  duly  regarded,  and  his  Laws  obeyed,  Love  and 
Peace  and  Harmony,  with  all  their  happy  and  bleffed 
feffects,  would  reign  thro  all  the  Earth,  as  they  do  in 
Heaven  :  And  Paradife  would  not  be  confined  to  Eden, 
nor  to  Heaven,  but  be  all  over  the  World. 

And  the  Wrath  of  this  good  Governour  is  only  revealed 
againft  all  Ungodlinefs  &  Unrighteoufnefsof  Men,  which 
are  the  Ruin  and  Debafement  of  our  Nature,  and  the  De- 
ftrudion  of  our  Peace  and  Happinefs.  He  threatens 
Damnation  to  his  Subjects,  to  keep  them  from  deftroying 
themfelves,  as  well  as  to  deter  them  from  affronting  his 
Majefty.  All  the  dreadful  Threatnings  of  his  Law  refult 
not  only  from  his  Holinefs  and  Juftice,  but  alfo  even  from 
the  infinite  Goodnefs  of  his  Nature  :  in  that  hereby  his 
Subjects  are  mercifully  fore-warned  of  the  evil  and  bitter 

Confequences  of  Sin,  to  the  End  they  may  avoid  it. 

He  is  a  perfect  Enemy  to  Hatred  &  Revenge,  to  Cruelty 
and  Injuftice.  He  can't  bear  to  fee  the  Widow  or  Father- 
lefs  opprefs'd,  or  the  Poor  defpifed,  or  the  Miferable  in- 
fuited,  or  any  evil  Thing  done  among  his  Subjects.  And 
therefore  this  good  Governour  has  threatned  Tribulation 
and  Anguiih,  Indignation  &  Wrath,  againft  every  Soul 
that  doth  Evil  ;  and  with  all  his  Authority  has  command 
ed  his  Subjects  thro  all  this  World,  upon  Pain  of  eternal 
Damnation,  to  do  as  they  would  be  done  by. 

And  then  ftill  further  to  engage  his  Subjects  to  that,  in 
which  their  greateft  Glory  and  Bleflednefs  confifts,  he  in 
his  Law  promifes  eternal  Life  to  the  obedient.  Wherein 
the  infinite  Bountifulnefs  of  his  Nature,  as  well  as  his  un- 
Ipeakabie  Concern  for  his  Creatures  Welfare,  is  difcovered. 

And  if  we  furvey  his  Conduct  towards  Mankind  from 
the  Beginning,  we  may  in  ten  Thoufand  Inftances,  fee  the 
infinite  GoodJuefs  of  his  Nature  difplay'd.  If  we  confider 

what 


and  diftinguifiedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  3  5 

what  his  Ways  have  been  towards  an  apoftate  World,  how 
he  has  given  his  Son  to  be  a  Redeemer,   and  his  Spirit  to 
be  a  Sanclifier,  how  he  has  fent  all  his  Servants  the  Pro 
phets,  riling  early  and  fending  •,  and  that  notwithilanding 
he  knew  before-hand  what  Treatment  he  fhould  meet  with 
from  a  guilty,  ungrateful,  God-hating  WorlcJ,  how  they 
would  murder  his  Son,  refift  his  Spirit,  and  kill  hisMefTen- 
gei  s  :  if  we  confider  how  patient  and  forbearing  and  long- 
fuffering  he  has  been  towards  obftinate  Sinners,  how  loth 
to  give  them  over,  fwearing  by  himfelf  that  he  delights 
not  in  their  Death,  but  rather  that  they  turn  and  live;  even 
while  they  have  contemned  and  affronted  him  in  the  vikft 
Manner :  and  if  we  confider  his  diftinguifhing  Favours  to 
wards  his  Elect,  and  the  marvellous  Things  which  he  has 
wrought  for  his  Church  and  People  ,  I  fay,  if  we  confider 
thefe  Things,  and  at  the  fame  Time,  look  round  the  World 
and  behold  the  innumerable  common   Favours  flrewed 
abroad  among  guilty,  Hell-deferving  Rebels,  we  muft  be 
forced  to  own,  that  he  is  good  to  all,  and  that  his  tender 
Mercies  are  over  all  his  Works.  And  the  great  Gdvernour 
of  the  World  evidently  appears  to  be  a  Being  of  infinite 
Goodnefs. 

His  Goodnefs  is  as  unbounded  as  his  Power.  There  is 
noAcr  of  Kindnefs,  which  his  Omnipotency  is  able  to  do, 
but  that  there  is  Goodnefs  enough  in  his  Heart,  to  prompt 
him  to  do  it,  if  all  Things  confidered,  it  be  beft  to  be 
done.  His  Propenfity  to  do  Good  is  fully  equal  to  his 
Ability.  All  the  Treafures  and  good  Things  of  this  lower 
World  are  his,  and  he  gives  ail  to  the  Children  of  Men, 
and  we  mould  have  enjoyed  all  without  the  leaft  Sorrow 
intermixed,  had  not  our  Sin  &  Apoftacy  made  it  neceflary 
for  him  to  give  feme  Teftimony  of  his  Difpleafure  :  and 
yet  even  the  Calamities  of  Life  are  well  adapted  incur 
prefent  State  to  do  us  Good. — All  theTreafures  &  Glories 
of  Heaven  are  his,  and  he  offers  all  to  a  guilty  World* 
and  actually  gives  all  to  fuch  as  are  willing  to  accept  of  all, 
thro'  the  Mediator,  in  the  Way  prefcnbed.  —  And  what 
can  he  give  more  ?  Can  he  give  his  only  begotten  Son  to 
die  for  Sinners  ?  Behold  he  has  a  Heart  to  do  it !  Can  he 
give  his  holy  Spirit  to  recover  poor  Sinners  to  God  ?  Be- 

D  2  hold- 


36          True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

hold  he  has  a  Heart  to  do  it  !  is  as  ready  to  give  his  holy 
Spirit  to  them  that  afk,  as  Parents  be  to  give  Bread  to  their 
Children  !  And  finally,  can  he  in  any  Senfe  give  Himfelf 
to  his  Creatures  ?  Behold  he  is  willing  to  do  fo,  to  be 
their  God  and  Father  and  Portion,  and  be  all  Things  to 
them,  and  do  all  Things  for  them,  if  they  will  but  accept 
of  him  thro  Jefus  Chrift  !  So  that,  as  I  faid,  his  Propenfity 
to  do  Good  is  fully  equal  to  his  Ability.  And  there  is  no 
doubt,  but  that  he  does  fhew  all  thofe  Kindneiles  to  his 
intelligent  Creatures,  which,  all  Things  confidered,  are 
bell  fhould  be  (hewn.  And  his  Underftanding  is  infinite, 
whereby  he  is  able  to  determine  exactly  what  is  bell  in  the 
whole.  Thy  Mercy  ^  0  Lord,  is  in  theHeavens  \  and  thy  Faith- 
fulnefs  reacheth  unto  the  Clouds.  How  excellent  is  thy  loving 
Kindnefsy  O  God  !  Therefore  the  Children  of  Men  put  their 
fTruft  under  the  Shadow  of  thy  Wings.  Pfal.  36.  5,  7. 

And  fuch  is  the  Goodnefs  of  his  Nature,  and  fo  much 
Goodnefs  has  he  in  his  Heart,  that  he  needs  no  Motive  to 
excite  him  to  do  Good  :  i.  e.  Nothing  from  without.  Thus 
unmoved  &  unexcited  by  any  Thing  from  without  himfelf, 
of  his  own  mereGoodnefs,  he  did,  in  the  Days  of  Eternity, 
determine  to  do  all  that  Good,  which  ever  will  by  him  be 
done,  to  all  Eternity,  when  there  was  nothing  cxiftiijg  but 
himfelf,  and  fo  nothing  to  move  him  but  his  own  good 
Pleafure. — Yea,  fuch  is  the  Goodnefs  of  his  Nature,  that 
he  not  only  needs  no  Motive  from  without  to  excite  him 
to  doGood  •,  but  even  then, when  there  are  allThings  to  the 
contrary,  even  everyThing  in  his  Creatures  to  render  them 
ill-deferving,  and  to  diicourage  and  hinder  his  Ihewing 
Mercy,  and  to  provoke  him  to  Wrath  \  even  then,  when 
Difcouragements  are  infinitely  great,  and  Provocations  are 
innumerable-,  yea,  when  there  is  nothing  in  his  Creature 
but  what  is  of  the  Nature  of  a  Provocation  :  even,  in  fuch 
a  Cafe,  he  can  fhew  Mercy  ;  yea,  the  greateft  of  Mercies. 
He  can  give  his  Son  to  die  for  fuch,  and  his  holy  Spirit  to 
fanctify  them,  and  himfelf  at  laft  to  be  their  God  &Father 
and  everlaiting  Portion.  Such  is  the  incomparable  Good 
nefs  of  his  Nature.  V/ho  is  a  God  like  unto -Thee !  &c.  Me. 
7.  18,19.  —  But  then  he  is  at  his  Liberty,  in  fuch  Cafes, 
and  may  act  according  to  his  own  Difcretion,  and  have 

Mercy 


and  diftinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  3  7 

Mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  Mercy,  and  have.  Companion 
on  whom  he  will  have  Compaflion.  And  truly  it  is  infi 
nitely  fit  he  ihoukL  To  act  fovereignly,  in  fuch  Cafes,  is 
infinitely  becoming. — And  indeed,  it  is  fit  he  fhould  dif- 
penfe  all  his  Favours  according  to  his  fovereign  Pleafure. 
It  is  fit  he  Ihould  do  what  he  will  with  his  own.  He  knows 
beft  how  to  exercife  his  own  Goodnefs,  and  it  is  perfectly 
fit  that  he  Ihould  be  at  Liberty,  and  act  according  to  his 
own  Difcretion,  according  to  the  Counfel  of  his  ownWill. 
And  becaufe  it  is  infinitely  fit,  therefore  he  actually  does  fo, 
Eph.  i.  ii.  He  pafied  by  the  Angels  that  finned,  and 
pitied  finful  Men  •,  he  paffed  by  the  reft  of  the  World, 
and  chofe  the  Seed  of  Abraham  ;  he  fuffers  Thoufands  of 
Sinners  to  go  on  in  their  Sins  and  perifh,  and  in  the  mean 
Time,  feizes  here  and  there  one,  by  his  All-conquering 
Grace,  and  effectually  faves  them  :  and  all  according  to 
his  fovereign  Pleafure,  becaufe  it  feems  good  in  his  Sight 
fo  to  do.  And  the  Reafon  why  he  acts  fovereignly,  is  be 
caufe  in  the  Nature  of  Things  it  is  fit  he  fhould.  There 
fore  his  Sovereignty  is  a  holy,  &  fo  a  glorious  Sovereignty. 
Hence  when  Mofes  defired  to  fee  his  Glory  ^  he  difcovered 
this  unto  him,  Excd.  33.  12.  And  becaufe  our  Saviour 
faw  how  fit  and  becoming  it  was  for  God  to  act  as  a  So 
vereign  in  beftowing  his  Favours,  therefore  he  faw  a  Glory 
in  his  Sovereignty,  and  fo  rejoyced  in  it.  Mat.  n.  25,  26. 
And  fovereign  Grace  is  glorious  Grace  in  the  Eyes  of  every 
one,  who  views  Things  aright,  and  have  right  Frames  of 
Heart.  —  Confidering  that  all  God  has  is  his  own,  that 
he  knows  infinitely  the  beft  what  to  do  with  what  he  has, 
that  there  can  be  no  Motive  from  without  to  excite  him  to 
act,  it  is  infinitely  fit  he  fhould  be  left  to  himfelf,  to  act 
according  to  his  own  Difcretion  ;  and  it  is  infinite  Impu 
dence  for  a  Worm  of  the  Duft  to  intermeddle,  or  go  about 
to  direct  the  almighty  and  infinitely  wife  God.  And  it  is 
infinite  Wickednefs  to  diflike  his  Conduct,  and  find  Fault 
with  his  Difpenfations. 

Indeed,  if  there  was  nothing  of  greater  Worth  and  Im 
portance  than  the  Happinefs  of  his  Creatures  &  Subjects, 
and  fo  nothing  that  he  ought  to  have  a  greater  Regard  to 
and  Concern  for,  then  it  is  not  to  be  fuppofcd  that  any  of 

D  his 


38          True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

his  Creatures  and  Subjects  would  be  finally  miferablc. — 
The  infinitely  good  Governour  of  the  World  has  a  great 
Regard  to  the  Happinefs  of  his  Subjects,  their  Welfare  is 
very  dear  to  him,  and  their  Mifery,  in  it  felf,  or  for  it's 
own  Sake,  very  undefireable  in  his  Sight  -,  yet  he  has  Ib 
rnuch  greater  Regard  to  fomething  eiie,   that  in  fome  In- 
ftances  he  actually  does  fuffer  Sinners  to  go  on  in  their  Sins 
and  perifh  for  ever  •,  yea,  and  he  will  inflict  the  eternal 
Torments  of  Hell  upon  them. — The  Goodnefs  of  God  is 
a  holy,  wife  and  rational  Goodnefs,   and  not  an  unreafo-- 
nable  Fondnefs.     He  will  never  do  a  wrongThing,  to  ob 
lige  any  ot  his  Creatures  :  No,  he  had  rather  the  whole 
World  ihould  be  damned  •,  yea,   that   even  his  own  Son 
fhould  die.     Nor  will  he  ever  communicate  Good  to  any 
one,  when  all  Things  confidered,  it  is  not  befb  &  wifeiL 
When  he  firft  defigned  to  create  the  World,  and  rlrft  laid 
out  his  whole  Scheme  of  Government,   as  it  was  eafy  for 
him  to  have  determined,  that  neither   Angeis   nor  Men 
ihould  ever  fin,   and  that  Mifery  fhould  never  be  heard  of 
in  all  his  Dominions  •,   fo  he  could  eafily   have  prevented 
both  Sin  &  Mifery.     Why  didn't  he  ?    Surely,  not  for 
want  of  Goodnefs  in  his  Nature  ;  for  that  is  infinite  ;  Not 
from  any  Thing  like  Cruelty  ;   for  there  is  no  fuch  Thing 
in  him  :  Not  for  want  of  a  fuitable  Regard  to  the  Happi 
nefs  of  his  Creatures  j  for  that  he  always  has  :  But  it  was, 
becaufe  in  his  infinite  Wifdom  he  did  not  think  it  beft  in 
the  whole.     It  was  not  becaufe  he  had  not  fufficient  Power 
to  prefervc  Angels  &  Men  all  holy  and  happy  ;    for  it  is 
certain  he   had.     It   was  not  becaufe  preventing  Grace 
would  have  been  inconfiftent  with  their  being  free  Agents  •, 
for  it  would  not.     It  was  not  becaufc  he  did  not  thoroughly 
confider  &  weigh  the  Thing  with  all  its  Confequences  i  for 
it  is  certain  he  did.     But  upon  the  whole,  all  Things  con 
fidered,  hejudg'd  it  beft,  to  permit  the  Angels  to  fin  and 
Man  to  fall  -,   and  fo  let  Mifery  enter  into  his  Dominions. 
It  did  not  come  to  pafs  accidentally  &  unawares,  and  con 
trary  to  what  God  had  ever  thought  of,  or  intended  \  be 
caufe  it  is  certain,  that  he  knew  all  Things  from  the  Be 
ginning  :  and  it  is  certain,  that  in  an  Affair  of  fuch  a 
Waturc  and  of  fuch  Confequejice*  he  could  not  ftand  by  as 

an 


and  diflmguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  3  9 

an  idle,  unconcerned  Spectator,  that  cares  not  which  Way 
Things  go.  There  is  no  doubt  therefore,  but  that  all 
Things  confidered,  he  thought  it  beft  to  permit  Things  to 
come  to  pafs  juft  as  they  did.  And  if  he  thought  it  beft, 
it  was  beft  •,  for  his  Underftanding  is  infinite  ;  his  Wif* 

dom  unerring,  and  fo  he  can  never  be  miftaken. But 

why  was  it  beft  ?  What  could  he  have  in  View,  preferable 
to  the  Happinefs  of  his  Creatures  ?  And  if  their  Happi- 
nefs  was  to  him  above  all  Things  moft  dear  •,  how  could 
he  bear  the  Thoughts  of  their  ever  (any  of  them)  being 
miferable  ? — Why,  —  it  is  certain  he  thought  it  beft,  and 
therefore  it  is  certain  he  had  a  View  to  fomething  elfe  be* 
fides  merely  the  Happinefs  of  his  Creatures,  to  fomething 
of  greater  Importance,  and  more  worthy  to  bear  a  govern 
ing  Sway  in  his  Mind,  by  which  it  became  him  to  be  above 
all  Things  influenced,  in  laying  out  &  contriving,  how 
Things  fhould  proceed  and  be  difpofed  in  the  World  he 
defigned  to  create.— But  what  was  that  Thing,  which  was 
of  greater  Worth  &  Importance,  and  fo  more  worthy  to 
bear  a  governing  Sway  in  his  Mind,  and  to  which  he  had 
the  greateft  Regard,  making  all  other  Things  give  Way  to 
this  ?  What  was  his  grand  End  in  creating  &  governing 
the  World  ?  Why,  look  — what  End  he  is  at  laft  like  to 
obtain,  when  the  whole  Scheme  is  finimed,  and  the  Day 
of  Judgment  paft,  &  Heaven  &  Hell  filled  with  all  their 
proper  Inhabitants.  And  what  will  be  the  final  Refult  ? 
What  will  he  get  by  all  ?  —  Why,  in  all  he  will  exert 
and  difplay  every  one  of  his  Perfections  to  the  Life,  and 
fo  by  all  will  exhibit  a  moft  perfect  and  exact  Image  of 
himfelf.  And  now,  as  he  is  infinitely  glorious  in  being 
what  he  is,  therefore  that  Scheme  of  Conduct  which  is 
perfectly  fuited,  to  exhibit  the  moft  lively  and  exact  Image 
of  him,  muft  be  infinitely  glorious  too.  And  therefore 
this  is  the  greateft  and  beft  Thing  he  can  aim  at  in  all  his 
Works  :  and  this  therefore  ought  to  be  his  laft  End.  Now 
it  is  evident,  that  the  Fall  of  the  Angels  and  of  Man,  to 
gether  with  all  thofe  Things  which  have  and  will  come  to 
pafs  in  Confequence  thereof,  and  occafioned  thereby,  from 
the  beginning  of  the  World  to  the  Day  of  Judgment,  and 
throughout  Eternity,  will  ferve  to  give  a  much  more  lively 

D  4  and 


4-O  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

and  perfe<5b  Reprefentation  of  God,  than  could  poffibly 
have  been  exhibited,  had  there  never  been  any  Sin  or 
Mifery.  The  Holinefs  and  Juftice,  the  Goodnefs,  Mercy 
and  Grace  of  God  fhine  much  more  bright.  They  have 
been  with  an  aftonifhing  Luftre  and  Glory,  difplayed 
in  the  Death  of  Chrift,  and  will  be  difplayed  torever 
in  Heaven  and  in  Hell,  as  they  could  not  have  been, 
had  not  Sin  and  Mifery  ever  been  permitted  to  enter  into 

God's  World. Indeed,  iisin  the  Nature  of  Things,  it 

had  been  wrong  for  God  to  have  permitted  any  of  his 
Creatures  to  fin,  and  then  to  punilh  them  for  it  •,  if  God 
had  been  bound  in  Duty,  or  in  Goodnefs,  to  keep  them 
from  Sin,,  or  to  fave  them  when  they  had  finned ;  then  the 
Cafe  had  been  otherwife.  But  fmce,  in  the  Nature  of 
Things,  it  was  fit  he  ftfould  be  at  Liberty,  and  act  accord 
ing  to  his  own  Difcretion  ;  and  fmce  the  End  he  had  in 
View,  was  ib  noble  and  God-like  •,  therefore  his  Conduct 
in  thisAffair  was  infinitely  right,  fit  and  becoming,  and  fo 
infinitely  glorious.  Certainly,  God  thought  it  v/as  ib,  or 
he  would  not  have  done  as  he  did.  And  therefore  if  we 
view  Things  as  God  did,  and  have  a  Temper  &  Frame 
of  Heart  like  unto  his,  we  fhall  think  fo  too.  And,  as  I 
faid  before,  it  is  horrid  Pride  &  Impudence  for  us  to  pre 
tend  to  know  better  than  the  infinitely  v/ife  God,  and  infi 
nite  Wickednefs  for  us  to  pretend  to  find  Fault  with  his 
Conduct.  Rom.  9.  19 — 23.  *  Thus,  if  he  had  aimed 
merely  at  the  Happinefs  of  his  Creatures,  he  could  eafily 

have 

*  OBJECT.  But  furely  it  could  not  be  confident  with  the  divineGood- 
nefs,  from  all  Eternity,  to  decree  the  cverlafting  Mifery  of  his  Crea- 
turec. 

ANSW.  God  ha?  in  Faft  permitted  S:n  to  enter  into  the  World,  doesiii 
Kift  permit  many  to  die  in  their  Sins,  will  in  Faft  punifn  them  for 
ever  ;  and  all  confiftent  with  the  infinite  Goodnefs  of  his  Nature,  as 
every  one  muft  acknowledge.  And  fmce  it  is  confiftent  with  his 
Goodnefs  to  do  as  he  does,  if  was  confiftent  with  his  Goodnefs  to  de 
termine  withiiimfclf  before-hand  to  do  fo  :—  What  God,  from  Eter 
nity,  decreed  to  do  ;  that  God,  in  Time,  will  do  :  therefore  if  all 
God's  Ccndufl  be  holy,  juft,  and  good,  fb  alfo  are  all  his  Decrees 
Unleis  we  can  fuppcfe  it  to  be  wrong,  for  the  infinitely  wife  God, 
Eternity,  to  determine  upon  a  Condutf  in  all  Refpedls  nr^fc  : 
taan  which  norhing  can  be  nore  abfurd. 


a nd  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  4 1 

have-  fo  ordered,  that  Pharaoh  fhould  willingly  have  let 
Ifrael  go,  and  he  could  have  led  Ifrael  in  lefs  than  forty 
Days  to  the  promifed  Land,  and  put  them  in  an  imme 
diate  Polleflion.  But  there  was  fomething  elfe  which  he 
had  a  greater  Regard  to  :  And  therefore  P  bar  abb's  Heart 
is  hardened,  and  all  his  Wonders  are  wrought  in  the  Land 
of  Egypt.  The  Tribes  of  Ifrael  march  to  the  Borders  of 
the  Red-Sta,  the  Sea  parts,  Ifrael  goes  thro',  but  the  Egypti 
ans  are  drowned.  And  now  Ifrael  is  tempted  &  tried,  and 
they  fin  and  rebel,  and  fo  are  doomed  to  wander  forty 
Years  in  the  Wilderncfs,  and  to  have  their  Carcafes  fall 
there.  And  why  was  all  this  ?  Why  —  becaufe  his  De- 
lign  was  to  difplay  all  his  Perfections,  and  fill  the  whole 
Earth  with  his  Glory.  Exod.y;i$.  Numb. 14*11.  And  now, 
becaufe  it  is  the  moft  noble  Thing  that  God  can  have  in 
View,  to  a6l  forth  all  his  Perfections  to  the  Life,  and  fo 
exhibit  the  moft  exaft  Reprefentation  of  himfelf  in  his 
Works  j  therefore  it  is  infinitely  fit  he  Ihould  make  this 
his  laft  End,  and  all  other  Things  fubfervient  ;  and  his 
Conduct  in  fo  doing  is  infinitely  beautiful  &  glorious. — 
Thus  we  fee  how  the  Goodnefs  of  God  is  difplayed  in  his 
Government  of  the  World  ;  &  fee  that  it  is  an  unbounded, 
rich,  free  Goodnefs  ;  and  that  all  the  Exercifes  of  it  are 
ibvereign,  and  under  the  Direction  of  his  infinite Wifdom  : 
fo  that  God  is  infinitely  glorious  on  the  Account  of  this 
Perfection  of  his  Nature.  Exod.  33.  19.  fc?  34.  5,  6,  7. 

Rom.  9.  Epb.  i.  i 12. 

(7.)  His  unchangeable  'Truth  and  Faithfulnefs,  is  alfo  dif- 
cpvered  in  his  Government  of  the  World  ;  and  that  in  the 
Fulfilment  of  his  Promifes,  and  the  Execution  of  his 
Threatnings.  Did  he  promife  to  be  Abraham's  God  ?  So 
he  was.  Did  he  promife  to  give  the  Land  of  Canaan  to 
his  Seed  for  an  Inheritance  ?  So  he  did.  Did  he  promife 
to  fend  his  Son  into  the  World,  and  to  fet  him  up  a  King 
dom  upon  Earth  ?  Even  fo  he  has  done.  And  he  is  in 
like  Manner  true  and  faithful  to  all  his  Promifes,  which 
he  has  made  to  his  People. — And  did  he  threaten  to  drown 
the  old  World,  to  make  Ifrael  wander  forty  Years  in  the 
Wildernefs,  to  deliver  them  into  the  Hands  of  their  Ene 
mies,  at  what  Time  foever  they  Ihould  forfake  him,  and 


42  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

go  and  ferve  other  Gods,  and  finally  to  fend  them  Cap 
tives  into  Babylon  for  feventy  Years  ?  Even  fo  he  has  done. 
God's  Word  may  always  be  depended  upon  :  for  what  he 
defigns,  that  he  fays  -,  and  what  he  fays,  that  he  will  do. 
And  this  is  another  of  the  glorious  Perfections  of  his 
Nature. 

Thus  all  the  Perfections  of  God  are  difcovered  in  his 
Government  of  the  World.  By  his  Conduft  we  may  fee 

what  he  is,  and  learn  the  very  Temper  of  his  Heart. 

And  now,  I  might  go  thro'  his  other  Works,  His  redeem 
ing,  juftifying,  fanftifying  Sinners,  and  bringing  them  to 
eternal  Glory  at  laft,  and  mew  how  his  glorious  Perfecti 
ons  mine  forth  in  them.  But  I  have  already  hinted  at  fome 
of  thefe  Things,  and  mall  have  Occafion  afterwards  to  view 
the  divine  Perfe6tions  mining  forth  in  thefe  Works  of  God, 
when  I  come  to  confider  the  Nature  of  the  Gofpel.  Suf 
ficient  has  been  faid  to  *anfwer  my  prefent  Purpofe  ;  and 
therefore  forBrevity's  Sake,  I  will  proceed  no  further  here. — 
Thus  then  we  fee,  how  the  Perle&ions  of  God  are  mani- 
fefted  in  his  Works. 

Secondly.  The  fame  Representation  is  made  of  God  in  his 
WORD.  For  thefe  great  Works  of  God,  his  creating, 
preferring  &  governing  the  World,  his  redeeming,  fancti- 
tying  and  faving  of  Sinners,  are  the  Subject-Matter  of  all 
the  Bible.  God  in  his  Works  acts  out  his  Perfections, 
and  in  his  Word  lays  the  whole  before  our  Eyes  in  Wri 
ting.  Therein  he  has  told  us  what  he  has  done,  and  what 
he  intends  to  do  ;  and  fo  has  delineated  his  glorious  Per- 
fedions  in  the  plaineft  Manner.  —  In  his  Word?  God  has 
revealed  himfelf  to  the  Children  of  Men,  has  manifefted 
and  fhewn  what  he  is.  But  how  ?  Why,  by  declaring  and 
holding  forth  his  Works,  as  that,  in  which  he  has  exhi 
bited  the  Image  of  himfelf.  Thus,  the  Scriptures  begin 
with  an  Account  of  God's  creating  the  World,  and  goes 
en  throughout  all  the  old  Teftament  informing,  how  he 
preferves  &  governs  it.  And  then  in  the  New-Teftament 
we  are  informed  more  particularly  how  he  redeems,] uftifies, 
fanctifies,and  faves  Sinners.  And  now,  as  theActions  of  a 
Man  difcover  the  Temper  &  Difpofition  of  his  Heart, 
and  fhew  what  he  is ;  fo'the  Works  of  God  from  firft  to 

laft, 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   43 

hit,  all  taken  together,  hold  forth  an  exact  Reprefenta- 
tion  of  himfelf.     If  we  will  begin  with  God's  creating  the 
World,  and  furvey  all  his  Conduct  in  the  Light  of  Scrip 
ture  i  his  Conduct  towards  Man  before  the  Fall,  and  after 
the  Fall,  his  Conduct  towards  Abel  and  Cain?  Enoch  and 
Noah*  and  all  the  old  World,  his  Conduct  towards  Lot  and 
Sodom,  towards  Abraham,  Ifaac  and  Jacob,  and  Jofeph,  to 
wards  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  in  Egypt,  at  the  Red- Sea,  in 
the  V/ildermfs,   at  Sinai,  at  Maljah,  at  'Taberah,  &:c.     and 
in  the  Times  of  Jojbua,  of  their  Judges,  of  their  Kings,&;c. 
And  then  come  into  the  New  Teftament,   and  iurvey  his 
Conduct  with  Relation  to  the  Redemption  &  Salvation  of 
Sinners,  and  then  look  forward  to   the  great  Judgment- 
Day,   and  fee  his  whole  Scheme  fmifhed,  fee  the  Refult, 
the  Conclufion  and  End  of  all  ;  look  up  to  Heaven  and 
take  a  View  of  that  "World,  and  look  down  to  Hell  and 
furvey  the  State  of  Things  there  -,  from  the  whole  we  may 
fee  WHAT  GOD  is  :    for  in   the  whole,  God  exerts   his 
Nature,  and  by  the  whole  God  defigns  to  exhibit  an  ex 
act  Reprefentation  of  Himfelf.     And  then  are  our  Appre- 
hanfions  of  God  right  and  according  to  'Truth,   when  we 
take  in  that  very  Reprefentation  which  he   has  made  of 
himfelf.  And  now  to  account  him  infinitely  glorious  in  being 
what  he  is,  and  to  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts,bzc&ufe  he  is 
what  he  is,is  the  veryThing  which  the  Law  of  God  requires. 
And  indeed,  fo  plain  is  that  Reprefentation  which  God 
has  made  of  himfeif  by  his  Works  and  in  his  Word ;  and 
he  is  really  fo  infinitely  glorious  in  being  what  he  is,  that 
were  not  Mankind,  thro  their  exceeding  great  Depravity, 
intirely  void  of  a   right  Tafte  and  Relijh  for  true  Beauty, 
they  could  not  but  be  even  ravifhed  with  the  divirieBeing. 
They  would  naturally  feel  as  they  do  in  Heaven,    and  na 
turally  fpeak  their  Language,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord 
of  Hofts ;    the  whole   Earth  is  full  of  his   Glory !  ( Ifai. 
6.  3.)  But  fuch  is  the  vile  Temper  of  fmful  apoftate  Crea 
tures,  that  they  are  not  only  blind  to  the  moral  Excellency 
of  the  divine  Nature,  but  are  even  in  a  Hated,   habitual 
Contrariety  to  God  in  the  Frame  of  their  Hearts.   (Rom. 
8^7.)  And  hence,  the  Manifeftation  which  God  has  made 
cf  Hlinfeif,canfindnoPlace  in  theirHearts.(7^.8.37.)They 

can- 


44  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

cannot  attend  to  Things  of  fuch  a  Nature  (ver.  43.)  becaufe 
ib  difagreable  to  their  Tafte.  For  (ver.  4.7.)  He  that  is  of 
God,  hearetb  God's  Words  :  ye  therefore  hear'them  not,  becaufe 
ye  are  not  of  God.  'Tis  hard,  to  bring  unregenerate  Men 
fo  much  as  to  have  right  Notions  of  what  God  is,  becaufe 
he  is  a  Being  in  his  Nature  fo  contrary  &  difagreable  to 
them.  They  do  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  Knowledge. 
(Rom.  i.  28.)  Men  had  rather  that  God  was  another  Kind 
of  a  Being,  different  from  what  he  really  is,  and  more 
like  themielves,  one  that  would  fuit  their  Temper, 
and  ferve  their  Intereft  ;  and  therefore  they  frame 
fuch  a  one  in  their  own  Fancy,  and  then  fall  down  and 
worfhip  the  falfe  Image  which  they  have  fet  up.  From 
hence  it  is,  that  all  thofe  falfe  Notions  of  God  have  taken 
their  Rife,  which  have  always  filled  the  World. — But  were 
Men  brought  to  have  right- Notions  of  what  God  is,  and 
to  take  in  that  very  Reprefentation,  which  he  has  made  of 
Himfelf,  by  his  Works  and  in  his  Word  -,  yet  they  would 
be  fo  far  from  accounting  him  infinitely  glorious  in  being 
what  he  is,  that  they  would  fee  no  Form  or  Comelinefs  in 
him  wherefore  they  fhould  dejire  him  :  But  would  feel  the 
like  malignant  Spirit  towards  him,  as  the  Jews  did  to 
wards  their  Prophets,  and  towards  Chrift  and  hisApoflles  ; 
only  in  a  worfe  Degree.  The  fame  Temper  which  caufed 
the  Exercife  of  fuch  Enmity  towards  their  Prophets, 
and  towards  Chrift  and  hisApoftles,  would  have  caufed  as 
great  or  greater  towards  God  himfelf,  had  they  but  had 
right  Notions  of  him.  And  the  clearer  Apprehenfiom  a 
Sinner  has  of  God,  the  more  will  his  Enmity  exert  itfelf ; 
becaufe  a  finful  Nature  and  a  holy  Nature  are  diametri 
cally  oppofite  to  each  other.  And  therefore  the  cleareft 
external  Revelation  of  God  cannot  bring  Sinners  to  love 
him.  All  the  World  will  fee  juft  what  a  Kind  of  a  Being 
he  is  at  the  Day  of  Judgment,  and  that  in  a  very  plain 
and  clear  manner  :  But  yet  they  whofe  Nature  it  is  to  hate 
him  for  being  what  he  is,  will  hate  him  ftill  •,  yea,  hate 
him  more  than  ever.  And  therefore,  befides  the  external 
Revelation  which  God  has  made  of  himfelf  by  his  Works 
and  in  his  Word,  there  is  an  abfolute  Neceflity  that  he 
Ihould  internally  reveal  himfelf  in  his  Glpry  to  the  Heart 

of 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  4 5 

of  a  Sinner,  in  order  to  beget  divine  Love  there.     Which 
brings  me  to  add, 

Thirdly,  God  re-veals  his  infinite  Glory,  in  being  what  he 
is,  in  the  Hearts  of  Sinners,  by  his  holy  SPIRIT.  Mat.  n. 
2^5 — 27. By  his  Works  and  in  his  Word  he  has  re 
vealed  what  he  is,  and  that  in  a  Manner  fufrkiently  plain, 
even  fo  plainly,  that  there  is  no  Need  at  all  of  any  further 
objective  Revelation  :  and  he  is  really  infinitely  glorious  in 
being  what  he  is.  Now  therefore  if  we  would  rightly  at 
tend  to  that  Revelation  which  God  has  made  of  Himfelf, 
we  could  not  but  have  right  Apprehenfions  of  Him  ;  and 
if  we  had  a  good  Tafte  for  true  Beauty,  we  could  not  but 
be  raviihed  with  his  Glory  :  but  we  are  naturally  diiinclin- 
cd  to  right  Apprehenfions  of  God,  and  are  entirely  defritute 
of  a  trueTaile  for  moral  Beauty.  And  hence  we  may  learn 
what  Kind  of  inward  Illumination  we  ftand  in  Need  of 

from  the  Spirit  of  God. We  do  not  need  the  holy 

Spirit  to  reveal  any  new  Truths  concerning  God,not  already 
revealed -,  for  the  external  Revelation  which  he  has  made 

of  himfelf,  is  fuffidently  full. We  do  not  need  to  have 

the  holy  Spirit  immediately  reveal  all  thefe  Truths  con 
cerning  God  over  again  to  us,  by  Way  of  objective  Revela 
tion,  or  immediate  Inipiration  •,  becaufe  the  external  Reve 
lation  already  made  is  fuffidently  plain. — We  only  need  (i.) 
to  be  effectually  awakened,to  attend  to  thofe  Manifeflations 
which  he  has  made  of  himfelf  in  his  Works  and  Word, 
that  we  may  fee  what  he  is :  And  (2.)  to  have  zfpiritual 
Tafte  imparted  to  us,  by  the  immediate  Influence  of  the 
Holy Ghofb, that  we  may  have  a  Senfe  of  his  infinite  Glory  in 
being  fuch  :  For  thefe  two  will  lay  an  effectual  Foundation 
in  our  Hearts  for  that  Love,  which  the  Law  requires. —  By 
the  common  Influences  of  the  Spirit,  we  may  be  awakened 
to  a  realizing  Sight  and  Senfe  of  what  GOD  is  •,  and  by  the 
fpecial  and  fanctifying  Influences  of  the  Spirit,  we  may  re 
ceive  a  Senfe  of  his  infinite  Glory  in  being  fuch.  And  alfo 
the  Senfe  of  his  Glory  will  naturally  caufe  us  to  fee  more 
clearly  what  God  is  :  for  a  Senfe  of  the  moral  Excellency 
of  the  divine  Nature  fixes  our  Thoughts  on  God,  and  the 
more  ourThoughts  are  fixed,the  more  diftinctly  we  fee  what 
he  is.  And  while  we  fee  him  to  be  what  he  is,  and  fee  his 

infinite 


46  True  Religion  delineated         Dis  I. 

infiniteGIory  in  being  fuch9hereby  adivineLove  is  naturally 
enkindled  in  our  Hearts.  And  thus,£fe  that  commanded  the 
Light  tojhine  out  of  Dark :«<?/},  jhimsin  cur  Hearts^  and  gives 
us  the  Light  cf  the  Knowledge  of  the  Glory  of  Gcd :  And  fo 
we  all  with  open  Face^  beheld  as  in  a  Glafs,  the  Glory  of  the 
jfa0r49  and  are  changed  into  the  fame  Image.  (  2.  Cor.  3.18. 
and  4.  6.) —  A  Sight  of  the  moral  Excellency  of  the  divine 
Nature  makes  God  appear  infinitely  glorious  in  every  Re- 
fpect.  Thofe  Things  in  God,  which  before  appeared  ex 
ceeding  dreadful,  now  appear  unfpeakably  glorious.  His 
Sovereignty  appears  glorious,  becaufe  now  we  fee  he  is  fit 
to  be  a  Sovereign,  and  that  it  is  fit  and  right  he  mould  do 
what  he  will  with  his  own.  His  Juflice  appears  glorious, 
becaufe  now  we  fee  the  infinite  Evil  of  Sin.  And  a  Con- 
fideration  of  his  infinite  Underflanding  and  almighty  Pow 
er,  enhances  his  Glory.  And  while  we  view  what  he  is, 
and  fee  his  Greatnefs  and  Glory,  and  confider  his  original, 
entire,  underived  Right  to  all  Things,  we  begin  to  fee  why 
he  aflumes  the  Character  of  moil  high  God,  fupreme  Lord, 
and  fovercign  Goveraour  of  the  whole  World  j  and  we 
reiign  the  Throne  to  him,  and  take  our  Places,  and  become 
his  willing  Subj eels,  and  our  Hearts  are  framed  to  love  him 
and  fear  him  and  truft  in  him  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  and  we 
give  up  our  felves  to  him,  to  walk  in  ail  his  Ways  &  keep 
all  his  Commands,  feeking  his  Glory.  And  thus  a  Sight 
and  Senfe  of  the  infinite  Dignity,  Greatnefs,  Glory  and  Ex 
cellency  of  the  moft  high  God,  lays  the  firil  Foundation 
fora  divineLove.  God's  being  what  he  is,  is  the  primary 
Reafon  that  he  requires  us  to  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts  \ 
and  it  is  the  firfl  Motive  of  a  genuine  Love. 

I  might  now  pafs  on  to  confider  the  additional  Obligations 
we  are  under  to  love  God  ,  but  that  it  may  be  profitable 
to  flop  a  while,  and  a  little  confider  the  Nature  and  Pro 
perties  of  this  firft  and  great  eft  and  moft  fundamental  Obliga 
tion  ;  and  take  a  View  of  fome  important  Conferences  necef- 
farily  following  therefrom.  And  here, 

i.  This  Obligation  is  binding  antecedently  to  any  Corifi- 
deration  of  Advantage  or  Dif advantage^  of  Rewards  or  Pu* 
nijhments  •,  and  even  prior  to  any  Confideration  of  the  poji- 
tive  Will  and  Law  cf  God  himfdf. 

2.    It 


'  and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  47 

2.  It  is  infinitely  binding. 

3 .  It  is  eternally  binding. 

4.  It  is  unchangeably  binding. 

5.  It  is  that  from  which  all  other  Obligations  original  y 
derive  their  binding  Nature. 

i .  This  Obligation,  which  we  are  under  to  love  God  with 
all  our  Hearts^  refulting  from  the  infinite  Excellency  of  the 
divine  Nature,  is  binding  antecedently  to  any  Confideration  of 
Advantage  or  D  if  advantage^  of  Rewards  or  Puni/hments,  or 
even  of  the  pofitive  Will  and,  Law  of  God  himfelf. —  To  love 
God  with  all  our  Hearts  naturally  tends  to  make  us  hap 
py  •,  and  the  contrary,  to  make  us  miferable  •,  and  there 
are  glorious  Rewards  promifed  on  the  oneHand,  &  dreadtul 
Punifhments  threatned  on  the  other  ;  andGod^asGoverncur 
of  the  World,  has  with  all  his  Authority  by  his  Law  ex- 
prefly  required  us  to  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts,  and  for 
bidden  the  contrary  :  and  all  thefeThings  are  binding  :  but 
yet  the  infinite  Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature  lays  us  un 
der  Bonds  prior  to  any  Confideration  of  thefe  Things.  So 
that  if  our  Intereft  did  not  at  all  lie  at  Stake,  and  if  there 
had  never  been  any  exprefs  Law  in  the  Cafe,  yet  it  would 
be  right,  and  our  indifpenfable  Duty,  to  love  God  with  all 
our  Hearts.  His  being  infinitely  lovely  inHimfelf,  makes 
it  our  Duty  to  love  Him.  For  he  is  in  himfeif  worthy  of 
our  higheft  Efteem  ;  he  deferves  it  •,  it  is  in  the  Nature  of 
Things  his  Due :  and  that  antecedent  to  any  felfifh  Confi 
deration,  or  any  exprefs  Law  in  the  Cafe.  To  fuppofe  the 
contrary,  is  to  deny  the  infinite  Amiablenefs  of  the  divine 
Nature,  and  to  take  away  the  very  Foundation  of  the  Law 
it  felf,  and  the  very  Reafon  of  allRewards  and  Punifhments. 
For  if  our  fupreme  Love  is  not  due  to  God,  then  he  is  not 
infinitely  lovely  •,  and  if  he  does  not  deferve  to  be  loved 
with  all  our  Hearts,  why  does  he  require  it  ?  And  if  in  the 
Nature  of  Things  it  is  not  right  and  fit  that  we  fhould  love 
Him,  and  the  contrary  unfit  and  wrong,  what  Grounds  are 
there  for  Rewards  or  Punifhments  ?  So  that  it  is  evident, 
the  infinite  Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature  binds  us,  and 
makes  it  our  Duty,  antecedent  to  any  Confideration  of  Ad 
vantage  or  Difadvantage,  Rewards  or  Punifhments,  or  even 
of  the  pofitive  Will  and  Law  of  God,  to  love  God  with  all 

our 


48  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

our  Hearts  \  and  therefore  cur  Love  muft  primarily  take 
its  Rife  from  a  Senfe  of  this  infinite  Excellency  of  the  divine 
Nature,as  has  been  before  obferved  ;  and  that  feemingLove, 
which  arifes  meerly  from  feliifh  Considerations,   from   the 
Fear  of  Punifhment  or  Hope  of  Reward,  or  becaufe  the 
Law  requires  it,  and  fo  'tis  a  Duty  and  muft  be  done,  is 
not  genuine  :  But  is  a  felfiih,  a  mercenary,  and  a  forced 
Thing.     How  evidently  therefore  do  thole  difcover  their 
Hypocrify,  who  are  wont  to  talk  after  the  following  Man 
ner  ?  "  If  I  am  ele&ed,  I  fhall  be  faved,  let  me  do  what 
"  I  will  •,  and  if  I  am  not  elected,  I  fhall  be  damned,  let 
"  me  do  what  I  can  :  And  therefore  it  is  no  Matter  how 
"  I  live."  And  again  after  this  Sort  "  If  I  knew  certain- 
"  ly  that  God  had  made  no  Promifes  to  the  Duties  of  the 
"  Unregenerate,  as  fome  pretend,  I  would  never  do  any 
"  more  in  Religion."  Surely  they  had  as  good  fay,  that 
they  have  no  Regard  at  all  to  the  infinite  Excellency  of  the 
divine  Nature,   but  are  intirely  influenced  by  felfifh  and 
mercenary  Motives  in  all  they  do.     They  don't  feem   to 
underftand  that  they  are  under  infinite  Obligations  to  love 
God  with  all  their  Hearts  aad  obey  him  in  every  Thing, 
refulting  from  God's  being  what  he  is,  and  that  antecedent 
to  all  feifiihConfiderations.Such  know  not  God.  (ijoh^.6) 
2 .     This  Obligation  refulting  from  the  intrinfick  Excel 
lency  and  Amiablenefs  of  the  divine  Nature,  is  infinitely 
binding  :  Becaufe  this  Excellency  and  Amiablenefs  is  in  it 
felf  infinite.     Our  Obligation  arifes  from  his  Defert ;  but 
he  infinitely  deferves   our  Love,  becaufe  he  is  infinitely 
lovely.     When  any  Perfon  is  lovely  and  honourable,  Rea- 
fon  teaches  us,  that  we  ought  to  love  and  honour  Him  ; 
and  that  it  is  wrong,  to  diflike  and  defpife  Him.     And  the 
more  lovely  and  honourable,  the  greater  is  our  Obligation 
to  love  and  honour  him  •,  and  the  more  aggravatedly  vile 
is  it,  to  treat  him  with  Contempt.     Since  therefore  God  is 
a  Being  of  infinite  Dignity,  Greatnefs,  Glory  and  Excel 
lency,  hence  we  are  under  an  infinite  Obligation  to  love 
him  with  all  our  Hearts  •,  and  it  is  infiaitely  wrong,  not  to 
do  fo.     Since  he  is  infinitely  worthy  to  be  honoured  and 
obeyed  by  us,therefore  we  are  under  an  infiniteObligationto 
honour  &  obey  Him  :  And  that  with  all  our  Heart  &  Soul, 
and  Mind  and  Strength.         Hence,  [  i  •] 


and  dlflinguifljed from  all  Counterfeits.  49 

[  i  ]  PC  rfeft  Love  and  perfect  Obedience  deferve  no  Thanks 
at  h.     If.  we  perrectly  love  him,  even  with  ail  our 

Hearts ;  and  give  up  our  ielves  entirely  and  for  ever  to 
him,  to  do  his 'Will  and  feek  his  Glory;  and  fo  cordi 
ally  delight  in  him,  as  to  take  up  our  full  and  ever- 
lailing  Contentment  in  him ;  yet  in  all  this,  we  do  but 
our  Duty  :  and  we  do  no-  more  than  what  we  are  under 
an  infinite  Obligation  to  do.  And  therefore  we  deferve 
no  I  hanks.  (Luk,  17.  9,10.)  Yea,  we  do  nothing  but  that 
in  which  confifts  our  higherr.  Perfection,  Glory  &  BlefTed- 
nefs  -,  and  therefore  inftead  of  deferving  If  hanks,  we  ought 
to  account  it  an  exceeding  great  Priviiedge,  that  wre  may 
thus  love  the  Lord,  live  to  him,  and  live  upon  him.  (PfaL 
19.  10.) 

When  therefore  eternal  Life  was  promifed  in  the  firft 
Covenant,  as*  the  Reward  of  perfedt  Obedience,  it  was  not 
under  the  Notion  of  any  Thing  being  merited  -,  nor  did  it 
ever  enter  into  the  Hearts  of  the  Angels  in  Heaven  to 
imagine,  they  merited  any  Thing  by  all  their  Love  and 
Service  :  for  from  their  very  Hearts  they  all  join  to  fay, 
'Worthy  art  thou,  0  Lord,  to  receive  Glory,  and  Honour •, 
and  Praife  for  ever.  And  they  deferve  no  Thanks  for  their 
doing  fo  ;  for  they  but  own  the  very  Truth. 

"When  therefore  finful  Men,  poor  Hell-deferving  Crea 
tures,  think  it  MUCH,  that  they  fhould  love  and  ferve  God 
fo  well,  and  take  fo  great  Pains  in  Religion  ;  and  are  rea 
dy  to  think,  that  God  and  Man  ought  highly  to  value,  them 
for  their  fo  doing,  and  are  always  telling  God  and  Man 
how  MIGHTY  Good  they  are  -,  as  he,  Luk.  18.11,12.  God, 
I  thank  thee,  I  am  not  as  other  Men  are,  Extoriicners,U/i- 
jufl,  Adulterers,  or  even  as  this  Publican  •, —  No,  far  from 
this,  I  am  one  of  the  beft  Men  in  all  the  World,  —  If  aft 
twice  in  the  Week,  I  give  tythes  of  all  that  I  pojfefs  —  This 
appeared  to  him  fuch.a  MIGHTY  Thing,that  he  thought  it 
quite  worth  while  to  tellGodhimfelf  of  it: — Now,  I  fay,  when 
this  is  Men's  Temper,  it  is  a  Sign  they  neither  know  God, 
nor  love  him  :  for  if  they  did,  they  could  not  fet  fo  high 
a  Price  upon  their  Duties,  fince  he  is  fo  infinitely  deferv 
ing. —  The  plain  Truth  is,  fuch  have  intolerable  mean 

E  Thoughts 


50  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

Thoughts  of  God,  and  intolerable  high  Thoughts  of  them- 
felves  •,  they  are  brim-full  of  fpiritual  Pride  &  Self-Righ- 
teoulhefs  :  and  fuch  are  exceeding  hateful  in  the  Sight  of 
God.  They  implicitly  fay,  that  God  is  not  infinitely  glo 
rious,  and  infinitely  worthy  of  all  Love  and  Honour  ;  he 
does  not  deferve  it,  it  is  not  his  Due  •,  but  rather  he  is 
beholden  to  his  Creatures  for  it,  and  ought  to  render  them 
many  Thanks  for  their  Love  &:  Service.  The  Language 
of  theirHearts  is,  God  has  fo  little  Lovelinefs^  that  it  is  MUCH 
to  love  him. — Like  a  bad  Mother- in-L aw,  who  thinks  it 
nothing  to  do  all  Things  for  her  own  Children,  becaufe 
fhe  loves  them  ;  but  grudges  every  Step  me  takes  for 
the  reft,and  thinks  every  little  a  great  deal,  becaufe  fhe  cares 
not  for  them  :  So  fuch  Men  think  it  nothing  to  rife  early 
and  fit  up  late,  to  get  the  World,  to  get  Riches,  Honour 
and  Pleafure  ;  for  they  love  themfeives  : .  but  think  it 
MUCH  to  take  the  tenth  Part  of  the  Pains  in  Religion  ; 
becaufe  they  don't  love  God.  Their  whole  Frame  of 
Mind  cafts  infinite  Contempt  upon  the  glorious  Majefly  of 
Heaven,  to  whom  all  Honour  is  infinitely  due,  and  in 
whofe  Service  all  the  Hofls  of  Heaven  account  themfeives 
perfectly  blefled  :  for  they,  vile  Wretches  !  feel,  as  if  they 
deferved  to  be  paid  for  all. 

True,  there  are  glorious  Rewards  promifed  in  the  Law 
and  in  the  Gofpel.  But  why  ?  and  upon  whatGrounds  ? — 
A  Man  may  be  faid  to  be  rewarded  in  three  different 
Senfes. —  (i.)  When  he  receives  what  he  ftriftly  defers es, 
as  an  Hireling  receives  his  Wages  at  Night.  But  in  this 
Senfe  the  Angels  in  Heaven  are  not  capable  of  a  Reward  : 
for  in  Uriel  Juftice  they  deferve  nothing.  (Luk.  17.  9,10. 
Rom.  ii.  35.) —  They  are  no  Hirelings,  for  God  has  a 
natural  original5underived,  entire  Right  to  them  •,  as  much 
as  he  has  to  the  Sun,  Moon  and  Stars  :  and  thefe  therefore 
deferve  to  be  paid  for  their  ihining,  as  much  as  the  Angels 
do  for  their  working.  —  Befides,  if  the  Angels  do  love 
God,  it  is  no  more  than  he  infinitely  deferves. —  And  far 
ther,  the  Services  of  Angels  do  not  profit  God,  and  fo 
lay  him  under  no  Obligations  •,  any  more  than  the  Birds 
profit  the  rifmg  Sun  by  their  Morning-Songs,and  fo  lay  the 
Sun  under  Obligations  to  Ihine  all  Day.  Job  22.  2,3.  Can 

a 


and diftinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.   5 1 

a  Man  be  profitable  unto  God,   as  he  that  is  wife  may  be  pro 
fitable  unto  himfelf?  Is  it  any  Plea  fur  e  to  the  Almighty <,  that 
thou  art  Righteous  ?    or  is  it  Gain  to  him,  that  thcu  makeft 
thy  Ways  per j -eft  ?     And  yet  even  in  this  grofs  Senfe,  Self- 
righteous  Perfons  feel  at  Heart,as  if  they  deferved  a  Reward 
for  their  good  Duties  •,  tho'  perhaps  they  are  not  willing  to 
own  it.     Hence  they  are  fo  apt  to  think  it  would  be  very 
hard,  unjuil  and  cruel,  if  God  fhould  damn  them  for  their 
pad  Sins,  notwithftanding  all  their  good  Duties.  Ifai.  58.3. 
therefore  have  we  faffed,  fay  they,  and  thcu  feefl  not  ? — 
But,  (2.)  A  Man  may  be  laid  to  be  rewarded,  when,   al- 
tho'  in  ftrict  Juitice  he  deferves  nothing,   yet  he  receives 
great  Favours  at  the  Hands  of  Gcd  in  Tejtimony  of  the  divine 
dp-probation  of  his  Perfon  and  Services.     And  thus  the  An 
gels  in  Heaven,  tho'  they  deferve  nothing,  yet  have  eter 
nal  Life  bellowed  upon  them,  as  a  Reward  to  their  perfect 
Obedience,  in  Teftimony  of  the  divineApprobation.    God 
rewards  them,  not  becaufe  they  do  him  any  Good,  nor  be- 
caufe  they  deferve  any  Thing  at  his  Hands  ;  but  becaufe 
he  infinitely  loves  Right  eoufnefs,  and  to  appear  as  an  infi 
nite  Friend  to  this,  in  his  publick  Conduct,  as  moral  Go- 
vernour  of  the  World.     The  moil  that  can  be  faid  of  the 
holieil  Angel  in  Heaven,  is,  that  he  is  fit  to  be  approved 
in  the  Sight  of  God,  becaufe  he  is  perfectly  fuch  as  God 
requires  him  to  be.     And  now,  becaufe  God  loves  to  put 
Honour  upon  Vertue,  and  to  exercife  the  infinite  Bound- 
fulnefs  of  his  Nature,  therefore  he  gives  them  the  Reward 
of  eternal  Life.     And  thus  God  promifed  us  eternal  Life> 
upon  Condition  of  perfect  Obedience, in  the  firft  Covenant : 
as  if  God  had  faid,    "  If  you  will  love  me  with  all  your 
"  Heart,  and  obey  me  in  every  Thing,  as  you  arc  bound 
"  in  Duty  to  do  ;    then,  altho'  you  will  deferve  nothing, 
"  yet  as  becomes  a  holy  and  good  God,  a  kind  &:  bound- 
"  ful  Governour,  I  will  make  you  everlaftingly  blefledirt 
"  the  Enjoyment  of  myfelf ;  and  that  inTeftimony  of  my 
<c  Approbation  of  your  perfect  and  fteadyFidelity."    And 
fo  by  Covenant  and  Promife  this  Reward  would  have  been 
due,  had  the  Condition  been  performed.     Hence  that  in 
Rom.  4.  4.  Now  to  him  that  worketh,  is  the  Reward  not 
reckoned  of  Grace,  but  of  DEBT.     And  now  here  Self- 

E  2  righ* 


52          "True  Religion  delineated          Dis.  I. 

righteous  Perfons  are  wont  to  come  in  with  their  Works, 
and  infill  upon  their  Highland  plead  the  Reafon  of  Things, 
as  well  as  the  Promife.  "  If  we  do  (fay  they)  as  well  as 
"  we  can,  which  is  all  that  God  does  or  can  in  Juftice  re- 
"  quire  of  us,  furely  he  will  accept  of  us :  it  would  be 
"  cruel,  to  caft  us  off :  his  Goodnefs  and  Faithfulnefs  are 
•"  engaged  for  us.5*  Juft  as  if  they  had  now  made  full 
Amends  for  all  their  paft  Sins  by  their  Repentance  and  Re 
formation  ;  and  grown  to  be  as  good  as  Angels,  by  taking 
fome  little  Pains  in  Religion !  For  the  beft  Angel  in  Hea 
ven  does  not  pretend  to  any  other  Title  to  Bleflednefs  than 
this  ;  namely,  that  he  has  done  as  well  as  he  can,  and  that 
this  is  all  that  God  has  required,  and  altho'  he  is  an  unpro 
fitable  Servant,  yet  he  depends  upon  thePromife,theGood- 

nefs  and  Faithfulnefs  of  his  Bountiful  Creator. Indeed, 

Self-righteous  Perfons  mvyfretind  to  expect  all  for  Chrifis 
Sake  •,  and  fay,  that  what  they  do,  only  entitles  them 'to  an 
Intereil  inhim  :  But  it  is  all. mere  Pretence-,  for  ftill  they 
think,  that  God  is  bound  to  give  them  an  Intereil  in  Chriil 
and  eternal  Life,  if  they  do  as  well  as  they  can  ;  and  would 
think  God  dealt  very  hardly  with  them,  if  he  did  not.     So 
that  their  real  Dependance,  at  Bottom,  is  upon  their  own 
Goodnefs,theirown  Worth  or  Worthinefs,to  make  Amends  for 
paftSins,  and  recommend  them  to  God,  and  entitle  them  to 
all  Things  •,  the  infinite  Abfurdity  of  which  will  be  evident 
prefently. Again,  ( 3. )  A  Man  may  be   faid  to  be  re 
warded,    when  he  neither  deferves  any  Thing,  nor  is  it  fit 
ting  that  his  Perfon  and  Conduct,  confidered  merely  as  they 
be  in  tbemf elves,  Ihould  be  approved  •,  but  ought  to  be  con 
demned,  according  to  Reafon,and  according  to  God's  righ 
teous  Law,  they  being  fo  finfully  defective  •,  neverthelefs 
fuch  a  Man  may  be  faid  to  be  rewarded,  when  merely  on  the 
Account  of  his  Intereil  in  the  Righteoufnefs  and  Worthinefs 
of  CHRIST,  his  Perfon  and  Performances  are  accepted,  and 
peculiar  Favours  fhewn  him.     And  in  this  Way  are  Be 
lievers  accepted,  according  to  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  and 
entitled  to  the  Reward  of  eternal  Life.  (Phil.  3.  8,  9.  Eph. 
1.6.  i  Pet. 2.5.  )  Now  thofe  who  look  for  a  Reward  in  this 
Way,  will  be  fo  far  from  thinking  it  MUCH,  which  they 
have  done  for  God,  that  tjiey  will  for  ever  fet  all  down  for 

Nothing, 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  5  3 

Nothing  &:  worfe  than  Nothing,  *  their  beft  Duties  being  fo 
fmfullydefe6tivc-,  and  judge  themfelves  worthy  of  Hell  eve 
ry  Day,  and  every  Moment  :  And  all  their Dependancewill 
be  on  (Thrift's  Worthinefs,  and  the  free  Grace  of  God  thro* 
Him.  (Luk.  18.  13.  Rom.  3.  24.  )  And  all  that  is  faid  in 
the  New-Teftament  about  God's  rewaiding  the  Believers 
good  Works,  being  viewed  in  this  Light,  gives  not  the 
leaft  Countenance  to  a  Self-righteous  Spirit,  but  militates 
directly  againft  it. — —  And  indeed,  if  we  were  as  perfect 
as  the  Angels  in  Heaven,  it  appears  from  what  has  been 
faid,  that  we  fhould  deferve  no  Thanks.  It  is  impudent 
therefore,  and  wicked,  it  is  contemptuous,  and  in  a  Sort 
blafphemous,  and  moft  God-provoking,  for  a  proud  con 
ceited  Phurifee^  to  feel  as  he  does  in  his  Self-righteous 
Frames.  And  God  might  expoftulate  with  fuch  a  one  in 
this  Manner  -,  "  WThat,  is  there  fo  little  Lovelinefs  in  me  ! 
"  And  is  it  fo  great,  fo  hard,  fo  felf -denying,  to  love  me, 
"  that  you  think  it  fuch  a  mighty  Thing  !  and  expect  now, 
"  that  all  paft  Sins  mall  be  forgiven,  and  my  Favour  fe- 
"  cured,  for  this  good  Frame  !  Yea,  and  that  I  fhall  give 
"  you  Heaven  into  the  Bargain  !  What,  are  your  Cbliga- 
"  tions  to  me  fo  fmall,  that  I  muft  be  fo  much  beholden  to 
"  you  for  your  Love  !  What,  did  you  never  hear  that  I 
"  was  the  LORD  !  And  that  it  was  I  that  ftretched  abroad 
"  the  Heavens !  And  that  you  are  my  Clay, whom  I  form- 
"  ed  and  fafhioned  for  my  Self  !  Be  gone,  thou  impudent 

£3  "  Wretch 

*  Worfe  than  nothing.'  Note.  I  do  not  mean,  that  an  imperfect  and 

very  defeftiveConformity  to  the  Law  is  worfe  and  more  odious  inGcd's 
Sight,  than  no  Conformity  at  all  :  but  only,  that  there  is  more  Odcuf- 
nefs  than  Amiabknefe  in  fuch  defective  Services.  And  that  therefore, we . 
are,  in  the  Sight  of  God,  on  their  Account,  more  proper  Objects  of 
Hatred  and  Punifhment,  than  of  Love  and  Reward ;  if  confidered 
merely  as  in  our  felves,  without  any  Refpect  to  our  Relation  to  Chrift  : 
So  that  in  Point  of  recommending  our  felves  to  God,  we  do,  by  our  beft 
Duties,thus  confidered,rather  difcommend  ourfelves  in  hisSight.  And  in 
thisSenfe  they  are  Worfe  thanNotbing :  They  are  even  fo  far  from  paying 
our  conftant  Dues,  that,  in  the  Sight  of  God,  they  conftantly  run  us  into 
Debt.  We  are  infinitely  to  blame  in  our  beft  Frames  and  beft  Duties, 
and  have  not  any  Thing  in  them,  which  tends,  in  God's  Sight,  in  the 
leaft  Degree,  to  Counterbalance  our  Blame.  —  But  if  any  are  defirou;-: 
to  fee  this  Point  fully  explained  and  proved,  and  all  Objeclio 
fwered,  I  refer  them  to  Mr,  Edwardu  excellent  Difcourfe  on 
tion  fy  Faith  alone* 


54         True  Religion  delineated         Dis  I. 

<c  Wretch,  to  Hell,  thy  proper  Place  :  thou  art  a  Defpifer 
"  of  my  glorious  Majefty,  and  your  Frame  of  Spirit  favours 
"  of  Blafphemy.  Know  it,  I  am  not  fo  mean,  as  you  ima- 
*6  gine,nor  at  all  beholden  to  you  for  yourLove.'  'And  this 
is  one  Reafon  that  the  Sacrifice  of  the  kicked  is  fuch  an  Abo 
mination  to  the  Lord;  not  only  when  they  pray  with  a  View 
to  recommend  themfeives  to  their  Fellow-Men  \  but  alfo 
when  in  doing  their  beft,  they  only  defign  to  ingratiate 
themfelves  with  God.  Prov.  21.  27.  The  Sacrifice  of  the 
Wicked  is Abomination(evti\  his  very  bt&}Howmuck  mere  when 
be  bringeth  it  with  a  wicked  Mind  ?  The  infinite  Greatnefs, 
Glory  and  Excellency  of  God,  and  the  infinite  Obligation 
thence  refulting  which  we  are  under  to  love  him  with  all  our 
Hearts  and  obey  him  in  every  Thing,  renders  a  Self-righ 
teous  Spirit,  unfpcakably  odious  and  infinitely  provoking 
in  the  Eyes  of  a  holy  God.  But  this  will  appear  ftill  plainer 
under  the  next  particular.  To  proceed  therefore, 

[2.]  If  we  are  under  an  infinite  Obligation  to  love  God 
fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimately,  and  take  everlaftingDe- 
light  in  him,  becaufe  of  his  infinite  Glory  and  Excellency, 
then  the  leaft  Difpofition  to  difefteem  him,  to  be  indifferent 
about  his  Intereft  and  Honour,  or  to  difrelifh  Communion 
with  him  •,  or  the  leaft  Difycfttion  to  love  our  felves  more 
than  God,  and  be  more  concerned  about  our  Intereft  and 
Honour,  than  about  his,  and  to  be  pleafed  and  delighted  in 
the  Things  of  the  World,  more  than  in  him,  muft  confe- 
quently  be  infinitely  Jtnful,  *  as  is  felf-evident. 

When  therefore  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  threat 
ens  eternal  Damnation  for  the  leaft  Sin,  (  as  in  Gal.  3.10.) 
he  does  the  Thing  that  is  perfectly  Right  :  for  an  infinite 
Evil  deferves  an  infinite  Punifhment. 

Hence  alfo,  it  is  no  Wonder  that  the  holieft  Saint  on 
Earth  mourns  fo  bitterly,  andloaths  and  abhors  himfelffo 

exceedingly, 

*  The  leaft  Sin  may  be  an  infinite  Evil,  becaufe  rf  the  infinite  Obligati 
on  we  are  under  to  do  otherwife  j  and  yet  all  Sins  not  be  equally  hei 
nous  :  For  there  is  as  great  a  Difference  among  Infinites,  as  among 
Finites  ;  I  mean,  among  Things  that  are  infinite  only  in  one  Refpeft. 
For  Inftance,  to  be  for  ever  in  Hell  is  an  infinite  Evil,  in  Refpeft  of  the 
Duration ;  but  yet  the  Damned 'are  not  all  equally  miferable.  Some 
may  be  an  hundred  Times  as  miferable  as  others,  'in  Degree  j  altho* 
She  Mifcry  of  ail  is  equal  in  Point  of  Duration, 


and  diflinguijbed  from  all  Counterfeits.  5  5 

exceedingly,  for  the  remaining  Corruptions  of  his  Heart. 
For  if  the  leafl  Difpofition  to  depart  from  God  and  difrelifh 
Communion  with  him,  and  to  be  carelefs  about  his  Honour 
and  Intereft,  is  infinitely  iinful  ;  then  the  beftMen  that  ever 
lived,  have  infinite  Reafon  always  to  lie  as  in  the  Duft,  and 
have  their  Hearts  broken.  Although  it  be  fo  with  them, 
that  all  which  the  World  calls  good  and  great ,  appears  as 
Drofs  to  them  •,  and  it  is  nothing  to  them,  to  part  with 
Friends  and  Eftate,  Honour  and  Eafe,  and  all,  for  Chrift  -9 
and  although  they  have  adually  fuffered  the  Lofs  of  all 
Things,  and  do  count  them  but  Dung,  not  worth  mourning 
about,  or  repining  after  :  Yet  notwithftanding  all  thefe At 
tainments,  attended  with  the  fulleft  AfTurance  of  eternal 
Glory  in  the  World  to  come,  they  have  infinite  Reafon  to 
do  as  they  do,  to  diflike  themfelves,to  hate  themfelves,and 
lie  down  in  the  Duft  all  in  T'ears  •,  becaufe  ftill  there  is  fuch 
a  remaining  Difpofition  in  their  Hearts  to  difefteem  the 
Lord  of  Glory,  to  neglect  hislntereft,  and  depart  from  hirrij 
and  becaufe  they  are  fo  far  from  being  what  they  ought  to 
be,  notwithstanding  the  Obligations  lying  upon  them  are 

infinite. Oh,  this  is  infinitely  vile  and  abominable,  and 

they  have  Reafon  indeed  therefore  always  to  loath  &  abhor 
themfelves,  and  repent  in  Duft  and  Allies  :  Yea,  they  are 
infinitely  to  blame  tor  not  being  more  humble  &  penitent. — 
A  Sighfand  Senfe  of  thefe  Things  made  Job  lie  down  in 
the  Duft,  and  mourn  fo  bitterly  for  his  Impatience  under 
his  paft  Afflictions,  tho'  he  had  been  the  moft  patient  Man 
in  the  World.  (  Job  42.  5,  6. )  This  made  the-Pfalmift  call 
himfelf  zBeaft.  (Pfal.  73.  22.)  And  hence  Paul  called 
himfelf  the  chief  of  Sinners  ;  and  cried  out,  /  am  carnal,  fold 
tinder  Sin  \  O  wretched  Man  that  I  am  !  And  hated  to 
commend  himfelf  when  the  Corinthians  drove  him  to  it,  and 
feemed  to  Blum  at  every  Sentence,  and  in  a  Sort  recalled 

his  Words, /  am  not  a  whit  behind  the  'very  chief  of  the 

dpoftleS)  yet  lam  nothing  ;  I  laboured  more  abundantly  than 
they  ally  yet  not  L Such  a  Sight  of  Things  kills  a  Self- 
righteous  Spirit  at  Root,  in  the  moft  exalted  Saint ;  for  he 
has  nothing  (all  Things  confidered  )  to  make  a  R'.ghrcouf- 
pefs  of,  but  in  ftrict  Juftice  merits  eternal  Damno.uo.-j  every 
Hour,  and  does  nothing  to  make  the  leaft  Air". 

E  4  For, 


56  True  Religion  delineated        Di s . . I. 

For,  if  perfect  Obedience  merits  no  thanks,   as  was  be 
fore  obferved  •,  and  if  the  lead  Sin  is  an  iniinite  Evil,  and 
defervcs  an  i-nfinitePunifhment,  as  we  have  now  feen  -,  then 
a  whole  Eternity  of  perteclObedience  would  do  jufc  nothin^ 
towards  making   the  leaft.  Amends    for   the  fmalleft  Sin  ^ 
much  lefs  will  the  beftServices  ot  the  higheft  Saint  onEarth. 
And  confequently  when  Paul  came  to  die,  he  deferved  to 
be  damned  (  coniidered  merely  as  in  himfelf}    as  much  as 
when  he  was  a  bloody  Pe.rfecutor,breathingoutThreatnings 
and  Slaughter,  yea,  and  a  great  deal  more  too.     For  all 
his  Diligence  and  Zeal  in  the  Service  of  Chrift,   did  juft 
nothing  towards  making  the  leaft  Amends  for  what  was 
paft  -,  and  his  daily  Short-comings  and  fmful  Defects  run 
him  daily  infinitely  more  &  more  into  Debt  •,  which  he  did 
nothing  to  Counterbalance.    And  henccPaul  accounts  him- 
felfto  be  Nothing^  (2  Cor.  12.  n. )  as  well  he  might  j  and 
all  his  Attainments  to  be  in  aSenfe  not  worth  remembring, 
(Phil,  3.  13.  )  and  looks  upon  himfelf  the  chief  of  Sinners^ 
(  i  Fim.  i.  15.  )  and  lefs  than  the  leaft  of  all  Saints  (  Eph. 
3.  8.)  and  durft  venture  his  Soul  upon  nothing  but  mere 
free  Grace  thro'  Jefus  Chrift.. (  Phil.  3.  8,  9.  )  And  hence, 
thus  it  is  with  every  Believer,  even  the  molt  holy  ;    altho' 
lie  daily  fees  what  a  God  he  has  finned  againft,  how  he  has 
finned  againft  him,  and  does  from  a  gracious  Refpect  to 
God  mourn  for  Sin,    for  all  Sin,   as  the  greateft  Evil,   and 
fincerely  turns  from  all  to  the  Lord,    and  gives  up  himfelf 
to  God,  to  love  him  and  live  to  him  for  ever ;  yet  he  feels 
that  all  this  makes  no  Amends  at  all  for  his  Sins?  but  that  he 
really  deferves  to  be  damned  for  them  as  much  as  ever  : 
Yea,  he  feels  that  he  is  infinitely  blame-worthy  for  not  be  - 
ing  more  humble  and  penitent  and  felf- abhorring,  and  that 
ib  his  Defert  of  Damnation  is  infinitely  increafing  continu 
ally.     And  hence  he  looks  upon  the  Grace  that  laves  him 
as  abfolutely  and  divinely  free,  and  infinitely  great  ;    and 
always  derives  all  his  Hopes  of  Happinefs  from  the  free 
Grace  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift.     And  this  is  what  the  A- 
poftle  means,    when  he  fpeaks  of  his  living  by  the  Faith  of 
the  Son  of  God,,  (Gal.  2,  20.)  of  his  rejoydng  in  Chrift  Jefus , 
and  having  no  Confidence  in  the  Flejh.  (  Phil.  3.3.)  And  this  . 
was  the  Caufe  of  his  fo  carneftly  longing  to  be  found,  not  in 

himfelf 


and  diftinguified from  all  Counterfeits.   5  7 

himfelf,  but  in  Chrift  ;  not  having  on  his  own  Right  eoufnefs^ 
but  theRighteoufnefs  which  is  of  God  by  Faith.  (Phil.  3. 8 ,9.) — 
How  directly  contrary  to  all  this,  is  theTemper  of  the  blind  * 
conceited  Pharifee^  as  exprefled  by  Maimonides*  the  Jew,  i 
who  was  profeffedly  one  of  that  Sect  ?  "  Every  Man  (fays 
"  he)  hath  his  Sins,  and  every  Man  his  Merits  :  And  he 
"  that  hath  more  Merits  than  Sins,  is  a  juft  Man  ;  but  he 
"  that  hath  more  Sins  than  Merits,  is  a  wicked  Man."  And 
this  is  the  Way  of  fuch  Men  :  They  put  their  Sins,  as  it 
were,  into  one  Scale,  and  their  good  Duties  into  the  other ; 
and  when  they  fancy  their  Goodnefs  out-weighs  their  Bad- 
nefs,then  they  look  upon  themfelves  in  the  Favour  ofGod.— 
But  to  return, 

From  what  has  been  faid  we  may  learn,  that  the  more 
fenfehlc  any  Man  is  of  the  infinite  Glory  and  Excellency  of 
God,  and  of  his  infiniteObligations  thence  refulting  to  love 
God  with  all  his  Heart,  and  obey  him  in  every  Thing,  the  . 
clearer  will  he  fee  that  perfect  Obedience  defer  ves  noThanks, 
and  that  the  lead  Sin  is  an  infinite  Evil  and  deferves  an  in 
finite  Punifhment  •,  and  fo  he  will  renounce  his  own  Righ- 
teoufnefs,  die  to  himfelf,  and  come  down  to  nothing,  more 
and  more :  And  fo  will  be  proportionably  more  and  more 
fenfible  of  his  abfolute  Need  of  Chrift  &  free  Grace :  And 
hence  the  more  holy  a  Man  grows,  the  more  humble  will 

he  be. And  on  the  contrary,  the  more  infenjible  a  Man 

is  of  God's  infinite  Glory  and  Excellency,  and  of  his  Obli 
gations  thence  refulting,  the  more  will  he  value  his  Duties, 
and  the  lefs  Evil  will  he  fee  in  Sin,  and  the  lefs  fenfible  will 
he  be  of  his  ill  Defert,  and  of  his  Need  of  Chrift  and  free 
Grace.  And  hence  a  felf-righteous,  impenitent,  Chrift- 

defpifmg  Spirit  reigns  in  all  who  know  net  God. And 

thus  we  fee  fome  ot  the  Confequences  necefTarily  following 
from  that  infiniteObligation  to  loveGod  with  all  ourHearts, 
which  we  are  under,  refulting  from  the  infinite  Glory  and 
Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature. —  But  to  pafs  on, 

3.  This  Obligation  we  are  under  to  loveGod  with  all  our 
Hearts,  arifing  from  his  infinite  Glory  and  Excellency,is  in 
the  Nature  of  Things  eternally  binding.  God,  his  Being, 
Perfections,  and  Glory  will  be  eternal  ;  God  will  always 
be  infinitely  amiable  •,  always  as  amiable  as  he  is  now.  And 

there 


58          True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

there  will  be  always  therefore  the  fameReafon  that  he  fhould 
be  loved,  for  being  what  he  is  •,  even  the  very  fame  Reafon 
that  there  is  now. This  Obligation  is  therefore  perpe 
tually  binding  amidft  all  the  Changes  of  this  Life.  Whe 
ther  we  are  iick  or  well,  inProfperity  or  inAdverfity  •,  whe 
ther  we  are  raifed  to  Honour  with  David^  or  live  in  Afflu 
ence  with  Solomon  -,  or  whether  we  are  in  Prifon  withjofepb, 
or  on  the  Dunghill  with  Job,  or  wandring  about  in  Sheep- 
fkins  and  Goat-fkins,  deilkute,  affli&ed,  tormented,  with 
thofe  mentioned  in  the  Eleventh  to  the  Hebrews  •,  ftill  this 
Obligation  upon  us  to  loveGod  is  invariably  the  fame.  For 
God  is  always  infinitely  amiable  in  himfelf  •,  yea  and  al 
ways  will  be  fo,  whether  we  are  in  the  Earth,  or  inHeaven, 
or  in  Hell.  And  therefore  it  always  is  and  always  will  be 
our  indifpenfable  Duty  to  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts,let 
what  will  become  of  us  •,  and  let  our  Circumftances,  as  to 
Happinefs  and  Mifery,  be  what  they  will. 

Did  our  Obligations  to  love  God,arife  merely  from  aCon- 
fideration  of  fomething  elfe  befides  the  eternal  Excellency  of 
the  divine  Nature,  from  fomething  which  might  altogether 
ceafe  in  Time,  then  might  it  poffibly  fome  Time  or  other 
ceafe  to  be  our  Duty  to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts  :  But 
affuredly  it  can  never  ceafe^  untilGod  ceafes  to  be  what  he  is. 
The  infinite  Obligation  hence  arifing  will  be  eternally  Bind 
ing. — Indeed  if  all  our  Obligations  to  love  God  did  arife 
merely  from  fome  felfifh  Confiderations,  then  in  Hell, 
where  thefe  felfiih  Confiderations  will  ceafe,  it  would  ceafe 
to  be  a  Duty  to  love  God.  If  I  were  obliged  to  love  God, 
only  becaufe  he  loves  me,  is  kind  to  me,and  defigns  to  make 
me  happy  •,  then  when  he  ceafes  to  love  me,  to  be  kind  to 
me,  and  to  intend  my  Happinefs,  all  my  Obligations  to  him 
would  ceafe;  and  it  would  be  no  Sin,  not  to  love  him. 
But  now,  fince  our  Obligations  to  love  God,  arife  original 
ly  from  his  being  what  he  is  in  himfelf,  antecedent  to  all 
felfifh  Confiderations ;  therefore  it  will  for  ever  remain  our 
Duty  to  love  him,  let  our  Circumftances,  as  to  Happinefs 
or  Mifery,  be  what  they  will  :  And  not  to  love  him  with 
all  our  Hearts,  will  for  ever  be  infinitely  Wrong.  Hence 
the  Guilt  of  the  fallenAngels  has  been  increafmg  ever  fince 
their  firft  Apoftacy  -,  an4  the  Guilt  of  all  the  Damned  will 

be 


and  diftinguijhed ft  *om  all  Counterfeits.   5  9 

be  increafmg  to  all  Eternity  :  And  no  Doubt  theirPunirh+ 
ment  will  increafe  in  the  fame  Proportion.  How  incon 
ceivably  and  infinitely  dreadful,  therefore,  will  be  their 
Cafe,  who  are  thus  continually  linking  deeper  and  deeper  in 
that  bottomkjs  Pit  of  Wo  and  Mifery  !  And  indeed,  if  this 
be  the  Cafe,  Hell  may  well  be  compared,  as  it  is  in  Scrip 
ture,  to  a  Bottomlefs  Pit.  Rev.  9.  i.  &  20.  i. 

4.  This  Obligation  which  we  are  under  to  loveGod  with 
all  our  Hearts,  refulting  from  the  inrimteExcellency  of  the 
divine  Nature,  is  allb  unchangeably  binding.  As  unchange 
able  as  the  divine  Nature  is,  as  unalterable  as  the  divine 
Beauty  is,  even  fo  unchangeable,  fo  unalterable,  in  the  very 
Nature  of  Things,  is  this  our  infinite  Obligation,  to  love 
him  fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimately,  and  delight  in  him 
fuperlatively.  As  God  is  infinitely  lovely  in  himfelf,  and 
unchangeably  fo,  fo  it  is  felf-evident  we  are  under  an  infi 
nite  and  invariable  Obligation  to  love  him  with  all  our 
Hearts.  This  cannot  but  be  always  our  Duty.  So  long 
as  God  remains  what  he  is,  this  will  remain  our  Duty.  It 
will  in  the  Nature  of  Things  be  unalterably  right  and 
fit  to  love  him  •,  and  not  to  do  fo,  unalterably  unfit  and 

wrong. Our  finking  down  into  ever  fo  bad  a  Temper, 

and  getting  to  be  ever  fo  remote  from  a  Difpofition  to  love 
him,  can  no  more  free  us  from  the  Obligation,  than  it  can 
caufe  him  to  ceafe  being  amiable.  He  muft  ceafe  to  be 
amiable,  before  our  Obligation  thence  arifing  can  poflibly 
ceafe  to  be  binding.  If  there  be  no  Alteration  in  his  infi 
nite  Beauty,  ftiere  can  pofiibly  be  no  Alteration  in  the  infi 
nite  Obligation  thence  arifing.  While  God  remains  what 
he  is,  and  while  our  natural  Powers  and  Faculties  are  main 
tained  in  Being,  it  muft  continue  our  Duty  to  love  God 
with  all  our  Hearts,  and  it  cannot  but  be  our  Duty.  In  the 
Nature  of  Things  it  is  right ;  and  the  Obligation  is  juft 
as  incapable  of  any  Alteration,  as  is  the  Equality  between 
twice  two  and  four. —  The  fallen  Angels  are  of  fo  bad  a 
Temper^  that  the  very  Thoughts  of  God  will,  doubtlefs, 
fooner  than  any  Thing,  ftir  up  all  their  Hatred  :  But  God 
deferves  to  be  perfectly  loved  by  them,  as  much  as  he  did 
before  their  Apoftacy.  There  is  a  great  Alteration  in  the 
Temper  of  their  Minds  5  but  not  the  leaft  Shadow  of 

Change 


60  "True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

Change  in  the  divine  Beauty,  Their  having  contra&ed  fo 
bad  and  wicked  a  Temper,  cannot  furely  make  it  right  and 
lawful  for  them  to  indulge  it,  and  continue  in  it.  Their 
impious  Revolt  furely  cannot  free  them  from  the  Authority 
and  Government  of  Almighty  God.  He  deferves  their 
Homage  and  Subje&ion,  as  much  as  ever  he  did.  The 
original  Ground  of  all  ftill  remains  ;  he  is  {till  THE 
LORD. —  The  fame  may  be  faid  of  fallen  Man.  .  It  is  im- 
poflible,  that  our  bad  Temper  fhould  free  us  from  our  Ob 
ligation  to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts.  It  is  ftill,  in  the 
Nature  of  Things,  as  wrong,  not  to  love  God  with  all  our 
Hearts,  as  ever  it  was,  or  as  it  would  have  been,  had  we 
not  joined  with  the  fallen  Angels,  and  turned  Apoftates.  It 
muft  be  fo,  unlefs  our  being  of  fo  bad  and  wicked  aTemper 
makes  it  right  for  us  to  continue  of  fuch  a  Temper,  and  we 
not  at  all  blame-worthy  for  a&ing  agreeable  thereto  •,  that 
Is,  unlefs  our  being  fo  very  bad  and  wicked,  makes  us  not 
at  all  to  blame  for  our  Badnefs  and  Wickednefs.  And  fo 
according  to  this  Rule,  the  viler  any  Creature  grows,  and 
the  more  averfe  to  God  &  to  allGood,thelefs  he  is  to  blame  : 
Which  is  one  of  the  grofleft  Abfurdities  in  the  World. 

Therefore, 

( i .)  The  divine  Law  which  requires  us  to  love  God  with  all 
our  Hearts,  confidered  as  a  Rule  of  Duty;  is  in  the  Nature  of 
Things  unalterable,  and  abfolutely  uncapable  of  'any  Abatement , 

more  or  lefs. The  Thing  required,  is,  in  the  Nature   of 

Things,  our  Duty,  antecedent  to  any  Confideration  of  an 
exprefsLaw  in  the  Cafe.  As  that  Children  ought  to  ho 
nour  their  Parents,  and  Neighbours  do  as  they  would  be 
done  by,  are  Things  in  themfelves  Right,  and  Duties  an 
tecedent  to  any  Confideration  of  an  exprefsLaw  in  theCafe. 
(Eph.  6.  i.)  Thefe  Things  would  have  been  Duties,if  there 
had  never  been  any  Laws  made  concerning  them  by  God 
or  Man.  Yea,  they  are  in  their  own  Nature  fo  Right,that 
they  cannot  but  be  our  Duty,  and  to  dishonour  ourParents, 
and  Cheat  and  Defraud  and  Injure  our  Neighbour,  can't 

but  be  Wrong. So  to  love  God  with   all   our  Hearts 

is  originally  right  and  fit  and  our  Duty  •,  and  would  have 
been  fo,  had  there  never  have  been  any  pofitive,  exprefs 
T-awin  the  Cafe. 

Now 


and  difiinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   6 1 

Now  the  grand  Reafon  why  God  the  great  Governour 
of  the  World,  ever  made  a  Law  requiring  of  us  to  love  him 
with  all  our  Hearts,  was  becaufe  it  was  thus  in  its  ownNa- 
turc  fo  infinitely  fit.     And  now  to  fuppofe,    that  he  would 
1  repeal,  or  alter,  or  abate  this  Law,  when  the  Grounds  and 
Reafons  of  his  firft  making  of  it  remain,as  forceable  as  ever; 
when  the  Thing  required  is  as  right  &  fit  as  ever  ;  &  when 
it  becomes  him, asGovernour  of  the  World,ftill  to  require  it,  as 
much  as  ever  ;  I  fay,to  fuppofe  fuchaThing,cafts  the  higheft 
Reproach  upon  all  his  gloriousPerfedlions.— It  cafes  thehigheft 
Reflection  upon  his  infimteHolinefs, whereby  he  is  infinitely 
inclined  to  love  Right  and  hate  Wrong  ;  for  it  fuppofes 
him  to  releafe  hisCreatures  from  doing  Right,and  to  allow 
them  to  do  Wrong  ;  a  little  at  leaft. —  It  calls  the  higheft 
Reflection  upon  his  impartial  Juftice^ whereby  he  is  infinitely 
inclined  to  give  every  one  their  Due  -,  for  it  fuppofes  him 
to  releafe  his  Creatures  from  giving  unto  God  the  Glory 
which  is  his  Due,  and  to  allow  them  to  keep  back  Part  at 
leaft. —  It  cafts  the  higheft  Reflection  upon  his  Stability  and 
Truth  :   For  it  fuppofes  him  to  alter  his  Law,  when  there 
is  no  Reafon  for  it. — Yea,  it  reflects  even  upon  \\\$Goodnefs 
it  felf :  For  it  is  fo  far  from  being  a  Benefit  to  his  Crea 
tures  to  have  this  excellent  Law  altered,   which  is  fo  com- 
pleatly  fuited  to  the  Perfection  and  Kappinefs  of  their  Na 
ture,  that  it  would  be  one  of  the  greateft  and  foreftCalami^ 
ties  which  could  happen.     Like  the  altering  all  the  good 
Laws  and  Rules  in  a  Family,  merely  to  humour  and  gra 
tify  a  rebellious  Child,  who  will  not  be  governed.     Such  a 
Child  mould  be  made  to  conform  to  the  wholefome  Laws 
of  the  Family,  and  not  the  Laws  be  abated  and  bro't  down 
to  a  Level  with  his  bad  Temper  and  perverfe  Humour. — 
And  finally,  it  cafts  the  higheft  Reflection  upon  the  infinite 
Wjjdm  of  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  :  For  it  fup 
pofes  him  to  ga  counter  to  his  ownHonour  and  to  theGood 
of  his  Creatures,  to  counteract  all  his  Perfections,  and  contra- 
.dicttheReafon&;  Nature  ofThings^  &  that  merely  in  Con- 
defcenfion  unto,&  inCompliance  with,  thefmfulcorruptTafte 
andlnclinations  of  an  apoftate,rebellious,God-hatingWorld. 
;     And  now,  how  could  the  great  Governour  of  the  World 
clear  and  vindicate  the  Honour  of  his  great  Name,in  mak 


ing 


6  2  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  L 

ing  any  Abatements  in  this  Law,  which  requires  us  to  love 
him  with  all  our  Hearts  ?  Would  he  fay,  that  he  had  before 
required  mere  Lev e  than  was  his  Due  ?  Surely,  nothing  can 
be  much  more  blafphemous,  than  to  fuppofe  this. — Would 
lie  fay,  that  he  does  not  defence  fo  much  as  he  did  ?  Still  it  is 

equally  blafphemous,  to  fuppofe  this. Would  he  fay, 

that  lefs  than  is  his  Due,  is  ALL  that  is  his  Due  ?  But  this 

would  be  to  contradict  himfelf,  in  expreis  Terms. Or 

would  he  openly  profefs  to  quit  hisRigbt  and  freely  allow  his 
Creatures  to  defpife  him  a  little,  and  fin  fometimes,  inCon- 
defcenfion  unto  and  Compliance  with  the  corrupt  Inclina 
tions  of  their  fmful  Hearts  ?  But  this,  in  the  Nature  of 
Things,  would  be  infinitely  Wrrong  and  Difhonourable. — 
Upon  what  Grounds  then  could  the  iupreme  Governour  of 
the  World  go  about  to  make  Abatements  in  a  Law  fo  holy, 
juit  and  good,  that  only  requires  us  to  love  him  with  all  our 
Hearts  •,  which  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  is  fo  infinitely 
right  and  fuitable  ?  Or  upon  what  Grounds  can  we  pofllbly 
defire  any  Abatements  to  be  made,  unlefs  we  e'en  profefs, 
that  we  do  not  like  the  Law,  that  we  are  averfe  to  loving 
God  with  all  our  Hearts,  that  it  is  a  very  tedious,  felf-de- 
nying  Thing  to  us,  and  what  we  can  by  no  Means  freely 
come  into  -5  and  fo  upon  this  Foot  defire  fome  Abatements  ! 
Or  which  is  the  fame  Thing  •,  honeftly  own,  "  that  we 
"  love  Sin  fo  dearly,  that  God  muft  tolerate  us  in  it,  or 
<c  we  cannot  approve  of  his  Government."* 

But  indeed,  God  can  as  eafily  ceafe  to  be,  as  go  about  to 
licence  and  tolerate  the  leaft  Sin  :  And  he  had  rather  Hea 
ven  and  Earth  jhould  pafs  away,  than  that  the  leaft  Jot  or 
Tittle  of  his  Law  Jhould  fail.  Mat.  5.  18. 

How  can  any  Body  therefore  once  imagine,  that  Chrift 
came  down  from  Heaven  and  died,  to  purchafe  this  Abate 
ment  of  the  Law  of  God,  and  procure  this  lawlefs  Liberty 
for  his  rebellious  Subjects  !  What  !  Did  he  defert  his  Fa 
ther's  Intereft  and  Honour,  and  the  Honour  of  hisLaw  and 
Government,  and  fpill  his  precious  Blood,  that  he  might 
perfwade  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  to  flacken 
the  Reins  of  Government,  and  give  out  this  impious  Li 
cence  to  Iniquity  ? Surely  to  fuppofe  this,  is  to  make 

Chrift  a  Friend  to  Sin,  and  an  Enemy  to  God. 

What 


and  diftinguifned  from  all  Counterfeits.  6  3 

What  then  do  they  mean,  who  in  their  Prayers  prefumc 
to  thank  God  for  the  gracious  Abatements,  which  he  has 
made  in  his  Law  ?  And  what  do  Minifters  mean  by  telling 
their  People  from  the  Pulpit,  that  the  Law  is  abated,  and 
that  Jimere Obedience  is  ALL  that  is  now  required  of  us? — 
Indeed,  if  poor  fecure  Sinners  are  made  to  believe,  that  this 
was  the  great  Bufmefs  Chrift  came  into  the  World  upon, 
no  wonder  if  their  impious  Hearts  are  pleafed,  and  if  they 
feem  to  love  Chrift,  and  prize  the  Gofpel,  and  giveThanks 
to  God  for  this  great  Goodnefs  and  Condefcenfion  ;  for 
hereby  they  are  delivered  from  that  Strictnefs  in  Religion 
which  they  hate,  and  a  wide  Door  is  opened  for  them  to  fin 
without  Blame  :  Yea,  they  have  the  Comfort  to  think,that 
it  is  no  Sin,  not  to  love  God  with  all  their  Heart,  with  all 
their  Soul,  and  with  all  their  Strength.  And  generally  a 
very  little  Matter  of  Religion  they  think  will  ferve.  And 
now  it's  good  Times,  and  they  blefs  themfelves.  But 
alas  !  They  feed  upon  the  Wind  :  A  deceived  Heart  hath 
turned  them  afede. 

But  by  the  Way, —  To  what  Purpofe  was  it  for  Chrift 
to  die  to  purchafe  this  Abatement  ?  What  Need  was  there 
of  it  ?  Or  what  Good  could  it  do  ? —  For  if  the  Law  really 
required  too  much,  the  Governourof  the  World  was  obliged 
in  Juftice  to  make  fome  Abatements  :  And  fo  the  Death  of 
Chrift  in  the  Cafe  was  perfectly  Needlefs. —  And  if  theLaw 
required  but  juft  enough,  the  Governour  of  the  World  could 
not  in  Juftice  make  any  Abatements :  And  fo  Chrift  muft 
have  died  in  vain^  and  totally  loft  his  End. 

But  indeed  Chrift  never  came  into  the  World  upon  this 
Defign  :  as  he  exprefly  declares  in  Mat.  5. 1 7, 1 8.  fbink  noty 
that  I  am  come  to  deftroy  the  Law  or  the  Prophets  ;  I  am  not 
come  to  deftroy,  but  to  fulfil.  For  verily  I  fay  unto  ycu9  'till 
Heaven  and  Earth  pajs^  one  Jot  or  one  kittle  Jhall  in  no  wife 
pafs  from  the  Law.,  'till  all  be  fulfilled.  And  this  is  the  very 
Thing  he  condemns  the  Pharifees  for  thro  all  this  Chapter, 
that  they  in  Effect  taught  this  Doctrine,  that  the  Law  was 
abated  •,  that  they  taught,  that  although  the  Law  did  forbid 
fome  external  and  more  grofs  Ads  of  Sin,yet  it  did  not  the 
firft  ftirring  of  Corruption  atHeart,&  fome  lefler  Iniquities. 
For  Inftance,  that  "  they  muft  not  commit  Murder  •,  but 

that 


64  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  L 

"  that  it  was  no  Harm  to  be  angry '  without  *Caufe,.  and 
"  ipeak  reproachfully,  and  keep  a  lecret  Grudge  atHeart. 
"  (jfr.  21  j — 26.)  That  they  mult  not  commit  sldttltery,  but 
<c  that  it  was  no  Harm  to  have  lecret  lafcivious  Thoughts. 
"  ($.  27, — 30.)  That  they  muit  not  be  guilty  of  Perjury  -, 
"  but  that  there  was  no  Harm  in  little  pettyOathsincom- 
"  mon  Converfation.  (  y:.  33, — 37.  )  That  they  mail  not: 
"  bate  their  Friends,  but  there  was  no  Harm  in  hating  their 
"  Enemies."  (^'.43, — 47.)  Thefe  and  fuch  like  Allowances, 
they  taught,  were  made  in  the  Law  ;  and  fo,  that  fach 
Things  were  not  finful.  But  our  Saviour  condemns  their 
Doctrine,  as  falfe  and  damning  •,  and  infills  upon  it,  that 
the  Law  is  not  abated,  and  never  (hall  be  •,  but  fays,  it  ftill 
requires  us  to  be  pewfeftj  as  our  heavenly  Father  is  perfetJ. 
0^.48.)  And  declares,  that  if  our  Right ecufnefs  exceedeth  not 
the  Right  eoufnefs  of  the  Scribes,  and  Ph  art  fees  (  who  were  fo 
much  for  abating  the  Law, )  we  faaU  never  enter  into  the 
Kingdom  of  Heaven.  (/.2O.)  So  far  was  our  blefiedSaviour 
from  any  Defign  to  abate  the  holy  Law  of  God,  or  leflen 

our  Obligations  to  a  perfect  Conformity  to  it.- And 

indeed,  if  Chrift  had  died,and  mould  die  aThoufandTimes, 
to  purchafe  an  Abatement  of  the  Law,  ( if  it  be  lawful  to 
make  fuch  a  Suppoiition)  it  would  be  to  no  Purpofe  :  For 
it  cannot  be  abated,  unlefs  God  ceafes  to  be  what  he  is.  For 
fo  long  as  God  is  infinitely  lovely,  we  mall  -  neceffanly  be 
under  an  infinite  Obligation  to  love  him  with  all  ourHeart, 
and  with  all  our  Strength  ;  and  it  will  neceffarily  be  infi 
nitely  Wrong,  not  to  do  fo. The  Truth  is,  that  God's 

fending  his  Son  into  the  World  to  die  for  the  Redemption 
of  Sinners,  inftead  of  freeing  us  from  our  original  natural 
Obligations  to  keep  the  Law,  binds  us  more  ftrongly  fo  to 
do  j  as  wefhall  afterwards  fee. — Pfal.  119.1 60.  'Thy  Word 
is  true  from  the  Beginning :  And  every  one  of  thy  righteous 
Judgments  endurethfor  ever.  ($.  128.)  I efteem  all  thy  Precepts 
concerning  all  Things  to  be  Right.  ($.  14.4..). The  Righteouf- 
nefs  of  thyTeftimomes  is  everlafting.  (  tf.  152.)  Thou  haft 
founded  them  for  ever.  And  therefore  (  f,  160.)  Everyone 
of  them  will  endure  for  ever.  As  if  the  Pfalmift  had  faid, 
"  The  Thing  required  in  thy  Law  is  in  it's  own  Nature 
"  Right,  everlaftingly  Right  j  and  thcrefore,as  Governour 

"  of 


and  diftinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  6  5 

"  of  the  WTorld,  thou  haft  by  Law  for  ever  fettled  and  efta- 
"  bliihed  it  as  Duty,  by  a  Law  never  to  be  altered,  but  to 
"  endure  for  ever :  and  for  ever  therefore  will  it  endure." 

OBJECT.  But  is  it  fair  andjuft  for  God  to  require  more 
of  his  .Creatures,  than  they  can  do  ? 

ANSWER.  What  are  we  come  to,  in  this  apoftate 
World,  that  we  can't  fee  it  to  be  juft  and  fair,  in  the 
great  Governour  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  the  infinitely  glo 
rious  God,  to  require  us  his  Creatures,  fo  much  as  to  love 
him,  with  all  our  Hearts  f  What !  Is  this  too  muih  ?  Is 
this  more  than  he  deferves  from  us  ? —  Or  does  the  Truth 
lie  here,  that  we  hate  him  fo,  that  we  cannot  find  in 
our  Hearts  to  love  him  •,  and  therefore  cry,  "  He  muft 
"  not  infift  upon  it,  or  if  he  does,  he  deals  unjuftly  and  is 
<c  very  hard  with  us  ?" —  But  is  not  this  the  very  Thing 
thofe  Citizens  did,  who  hated  their  Prince,  and  fent  after 
him,  faying,  We  will  not  have  this  Mem  to  reign  over  us  ? 
Luk.  19.  14. —  Thefe  Hints  may  ferve  as  an  Anfwer  fpr 
the  prefent :  But  of  this  more  hereafter. 

But  while  fome  are  pleading,  that  Chrift  died  to  purchafc 
an  Abatement  of  the  'Law, others  carry  the  Point  ftill  further, 
and  fay  that  Chrift  died  entirely  to  difannul  it  \  and  fo,thar 
now  it  wholly  ceafes  to  be  a  Rule  of  Life  to  Believers. 
When  as  one  great  and  declared  Defign  of  Chrift's  coming 
into  the  World  was,  to  recover  his  People  to  a  Conformity 
thereto.  (  Tit.  2.  n,  12,  13. )  —  Oh  how  Men  do  love 
their  Corruptions,  and  hate  God  and  his  holy  Law,  and 
long  to  have  it  cafhier'd  and  removed  out  of  the  World, 
that  fo  they  may  live  as  they  lift,  and  yet  efcape  the  Re 
preaches  of  their  Confciences  here,  and  eternal  Puniihment 
hereafter  ! — But  GoDjittetb  King  for  ever,  and  will  after  t 
the  Rights  of  his  Crown,  and  maintain  the  Honour  of  his 
Majefty,  and  the  Glory  of  his  great  Name,  and  vindicate 
his  injured  Law  ;  altho'  it  be  in  the  eternal  Damnation  of 
Millions  of  his  rebellious  Subjects.  Luk.  19.  27.  But  thcfi 
wine  Enemies,  which  would  not  that  IJhould  reign  over  them, 
bring  hither,  and  Jlay  them  before  me. —  And  here  by  the 
Way,  we  may  fee  what  an  averfion  Men  have  to  right: 
Thoughts  of  God  and  divine  Things  ;  and  maybe  convin 
ced  of  the  abfolute  Neceflity  of  a  fupernatural  ail-conquer- 

F 


66  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

ing  Light,  to  remove  thefe  Prejudices,  and  make  Men  fee 
and  believe  the  Truth,  and  love  and  cordially  embrace  it. 
(  Job.  8.  47. — •  i  Cor.  2.  14. )—  A  holy  God  does  not  ap 
pear  infinitely  glorious  and  amiable  to  an  unholy  Heart  : 
and  Sinners  not  feeing  the  Grounds  of  loving  God  with  all 
their  Hearts,  hence  do  not  fee  the  Reafon  of  the  Law  ; 
hence  do  not  fee  how  holy,juft  and  good  the  Law  is,  and  the 
carnal  Mind  being  Enmity  againft  God,  is  at  the  fame  Time 
Enmity  againft  the  Law,  which  is  a  Tranfcript  of  the  di 
vine  Nature  ( Rom.  8.7.)  And  hence  Sinners  do  not  love 
to  believe  eitherGod  or  his  Law  to  be  what  they  really  are. 
And  this  Temper  makes  them  blind  to  what  the  Scripture 
fays,  and  leads  them  to  frame  a  falfe  Image  of  God,  and 
entertain  falfe  Notions  of  his  Law,  that  they  may  have  a 
God  and  a  Law  both  to  their  own  Minds. 

And  now,  as  are  Men's  Notions  of  the  Law,  fuch  are 
their  Notions  of  Religion  ;  the  Effence  of  which  principally 
confifts  in  a  Conformity  to  the  Law. 

Hence,  here  is  one,  he  pleads  for  great  Abatements  in  the 
Law,  and  he  contents  himfelf  with  the  mere  Form  of  Re 
ligion.  He  is  not  Unjuft,  nor  an  Extortioner,  nor  an  Adul 
terer  ;  but  much  better  than  fome  of  his  Neighbours  :  He 
prays  in  his  Family,  goes  to  publick  Worihip,  and  attends 
the  Sacrament,  and  thinks  himfelf  a  very  good  Man  ;  like 
him  \&Luk.  18.9,  10,  &c.  But  as  for  the  Dodhines  relating 
to  our  natural  Depravity,  Regeneration,  Converfion,  Faith, 
Communion  with  God,  and  all  the  inftde  of  Religion,  he  under- 
ftands  nothing  about  them  -,  they  feem  as  ftrange  as  it  did 
to  Niccdemus  to  hear  Chrift  difcourfe  about  the  New-Birtb. 
(  Joh.  3. )  And  all  the  Talk  about  the  inward  Influences  of 
the  holy  Spirit,  in  awakening,  convincing,  humbling  and 
converting  a  Sinner,  and  in  enlightening,  teaching,  quick- 
ning,  comforting  and  fanftifying  a  Believer,  is  quite  unin 
telligible  :  for  thefe  Things  don't  come  into  his  Notions  of 
Religion. — According  to  his  Opinion,  the  Law  is  brought 
down  fo  low,  that  it  is  an  eafy  Thing  to  become  a  good 
Man :  the  Change  is  but  fmall,  and  there  is  fcarce  any 
Need  of  the  Spirit's  Help  •,  much  lefs  any  Room  for  the 
Exercife  of  Sovereign  Grace  •,  for  he  is  fo  good-natured, 
that  he  can  become  G$od  of  his  own  free  Will,  (i.  e,  accord 
ing 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  67 

ing  to  his  Notions  of  Gcodnefs,)  and  do  that  which  lhall 
efil&ually  intitle  him  to  the  Promifes  :  And  thus  he  has 
the  Staff  in  his  own  Hand.  And  now  here  is  a  charming 
Religion,  perfectly  fuited  to  theTafte  of  an  apoftate  World ; 
for  it's  calculated  to  quiet  the  Confcience,  while  die  Heart 
lies  out  eftranged  from  God  and  dead  in  Sin.  (Rom.  7.  8,9.) 
Efpecially,  fo  much  of  it,  as  is  for  their  Credit  and  appa 
rently  ferves  their  worldly  Intereft,  will  pretty  readily  and 
heartily  be  fallen  in  with  ;  and  tbe  left  have  their  Failings, 
no  Man  is  perfett,  and  I  endeavour  to  be  fine  ere  ^  and  the  beft 
have  their  Doubts,  AJfurance  is  not  to  be  attained,  and  fuch 
like  Pleas  help  to  keep  their  Confciences  fecure.  And  now, 
O  how  they  love  thofe  Minifters,  that  cry,  Peace,  Peace  / 
But  hate  thofe  that  would  fearch  Things  to  the  Bottom,  and 
found  anAlarm  to  fecureSinners,and  deluded  Hypocrites. — 
The  fame  I  emper  that  makes  them  hate  God  and  his  Law, 
makes  them  hate  his  Minifters  too.  And  they  are  for 
another  Kind  of  a  God,  &  for  another  Kind  of  a  Law,  ano 
ther  Kind  of  a  Religion,  and  another  Kind  of  Minifters, 
that  they  may  have  all  to  their  Mind.  And  when  all  is 
done,  they  are  confident  they  are  now  in  the  Right,  becaufe 
they  are  fuited.  They  love  to  have  it  fo  ;  and  therefore 
firmly  believe  it  is  fo. 

Hence,  again,  here  is  another ',  who  has  been  mightily 
terrified  and  in  great  Diftrefs  under  a  Senfe  of  the  Wrath 
of  God  *and  the  Dreadfulnefs  of  Damnation  ;  but  in  the 
diftrefTmg  Hour  he  has  had  it  revealed  to  him  (by  the  Spi 
rit  of  God,  he  thinks)  that  his  Sins  are  forgiven ;  and  now 
he  is  Jure  of  Heaven,  and  is  ravifhed  at  the  Thoughts  of 
eternal  Glory :  he  holds  it  a  great  Sin  to  doubt ;  and  all 
his  Religion  confifts  in  Faith  and  Joy,  /.  e.  in  believing 
that  his  Sins  are  forgiven,  and  rejoycing  in  his  blefled  and 
happy  and  fafe  Eftate,  and  in  the  Expectation  of  future 
Glory. —  But  as  for  a  real  Conformity  to  the  Law,  it  makes 
up  no  Part  of  his  Religion.  He  underftands  rightly  no 
thing  what  the  Law  requires  -,  he  is  neither  fenfible  of  his 
Duty  to  God,  or  to  his  Fellow-Men  :  Yea,  he  hates  to  hear 
any  Thing  about  Law,  or  Duty. —  It  is  all  Legal,  he  cries, 
and  tends  to  kill  Religion,  and  to  wound  weak  Chriftians,  and 
grieve  and  drive  away  the  Sprit  of  Grace :  and  no  preaching 

F  2  fuits 


68         True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

fuits  his  Tafte,  but  what  confifts  in  telling  over  and  com 
mending  fuch  Experiences  as  his,  and  in  fetting  forth  the 
Love  of  God  and  Chrift  to  fuch,  and  calling  upon  fuch  to 
believe,  and  rejoyce,  and  never  doubt  their  State  again. 
And  in  general  thofe  Things  which  tend  to  ftrengthen  his 
Confidence  and  increafe  his  Joy,  he  eileems  right  and  good  \ 
and  all  Things  of  a  contrary  Tendency  he  efleems  wrong 
and  bad.  This  feems  to  be  his  only  Criterion  ofRight  and 
Wrong,  and  the  only  Rule  he  makesUfe  of  in  drawing  up 
a  Judgment :  But  as  for  the  Law^  it  is  of  noUfe  with  him. 
—There  is  doubtlefs  many  a  Man  that  feels  and  acts  and 
lives,  as  if  the  Law  was  abated,  who  yet  will  not  plead  for 
that  Doctrine. —  So  doubtlefs  there  is  many  a  Man  that 
feels  and  acts  and  lives,  as  if  the  Law  wholly  ceafed  to  be 
a  Rule  of  Life,  who  yet  will  not  venture  to  fay  fo.  The 
Force  of  Education  and  their  worldly  Intereft  and  Credit 
keeps  Men  many  Times  from  fhewing  what  they  be,  by 
an  open  Profeffion.  However,  fecretly  this  Temper  reigns 
within  them  ;  yea,  fometimes  it  breaks  out  into  openLight, 
in  their  vifible  Conduct. —  But,  as  flrange  as  it  may  feem, 
there  are  Multitudes  that  not  only  have  the  Root  of  thefe 
Things  in  their  Hearts,  but  really  believe  them  and  openly 
profefs  and  plead  for  them.  Hence  it  is  on  the  one  Hand, 
that  the  Arminian^  Neonomian,  and  Pelagiam  Errors  have 
taken  their  Rife,  and  the  Antinomian^  on  the  other.  Wrong 
Notions  of  God  lie  at  the  Bottom  •,  and  then  wrong  Noti 
ons  of  the  Law  *,  and  then  wrong  Notions  of  Religion  in 
general':  and  all  originally  proceed  and  grow  up  out  of  the 
wrong  Temper  of  Men's  Minds.  For  all  unregenerate  Men 
would  fain  have  a  God  and  a  Law  and  a  Religion  to  fuit  the 
Temper  of  their  Hearts.  Micah  4.  5.  For  all  People  will 
walk  every  one  in  the  Name  of  his  God. 

In  the  meanTime,the  truly  godly  Man,  who  fees  that  the 
Obligation,  which  he  is  under  to  love  God  with  all  his  Heart, 
refulting  from  the  Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature,  is  un 
changeable  •,  and  that  the  Law*  which  requires  this,  is  un 
alterable  ;  inftead  of  going  about  to  contrive  a  Religion  that 
may  fuit  the  natural  Temper  of  his  Heart,  is  convinced  that 
the  Temper  of  his  Heart  is  the  very  Thing  that  muft  be 
changed. — He  is  convinced  of.  his  infinite  Obligation  to  be 

altogether 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   6  9 

altogether  fuch  as  the  Law  requires  him  to  be,  and  that  he 
is  infinitely  blameable  for  the  leaft  Defecl—  Hence,  thofe 
Words,7#<?  Law  is  holy^jufl.,  and  good.,  the  Law  isfpiritual  \ 
but  I  am  carnal,  fold  under  Sin.     O  wretched  Man  that  I  am! 
do  exactly  expreis  the  Thoughts  of  the  moil  exalted  Saint 
-on  Earth,  yea,  even  of  the  great  Saint  Paul  himfelf,  Rom. 
7.  12,  14,  24.  —  Indeed,  had  St.  Paul  thought  that   the 
Law  was  wholly  difannulled,   or  much  abated,  he  might 
then  have  imagined  that  he  was  fo  good,  as  to  be  quite  free 
from  Sin,  or  pretty  near  being  fo,  and  been  ready  to  fpeak 
the  Language  of  the  Pharifee  -,  God,  1  thank  thee,  I  am  not 
as  other  Men.     But  now,  notwithftanding  all  his  high  and 
wonderful  Attainments,  yet,  when  he  confidered  what  the 
Law  was,  which  he  was  under,  and  how  very  far  he  was 
from  being  exactly  what  that  required,  the  native  Language 
of  his  humbleHeart  is,  I  am  carnal^  fold  under  Sin  !  0  wretch 
ed  Man  that  I  am  !  *  —  And  now  the  Apoftle,   from  a 
Senfe  of  his  infinite  Obligations  to  be  what  the  Law  re 
quires,  and  of  his  greatDiiiance  from  this,  forgets  thelihings 
which   are  behind  \  and  he  runs,   he  wreftles,   he  fight  s^  he 
ftrives,  he  keeps  under  his  Body,   he  lays  ajide  every  Weight  ^ 
in  fhort,  he  appears  like  aMan  in  a  perfe&Agony  :  So  great 
was  his  Senfe  of  Duty,  and  fo  much  had  he  to  do.  -  'And  at 
the  fame  Time,  from  a  Senfe  of  his  Impotency  and  of  his 
Unworthinefs,  of  his  Need  of  the  Redeemer  and  the  Sane- 
tifier,  it  is  his  Maxim,  to  fray  always  ,  and  to  afk  allThings 
in  the  Name  of  Chrift.  -  Now  in  his  Example  we  have 
the  Temper,  which  prevails  more  or  lefs  in  every  godly 
Man,  exactly,  painted.  -  —And  thus  we  have  had  pictured 
in  Miniature  three  different  Sorts  of  Religion,  arifmg  from 
three  different  Notions  of  the  Law.     The  Picture  is  begun; 
and  in  the  fequel,  I  purpofe  to  paint  all  three,  as  near  to  the 
Life  as  I  can  \  that  we  .may  fee  what  they  be?  and  wherein 

F  3  they 


*  Some  have  thought,  that  St.  JWhad  arrived  fo  nigh  to 
he  could  not  fpeak  thefe  Words  of  himfelf.  Their  Miftake  Teems  to 
arife  from  their  wrong  Notions  of  the  Law,  to  which  St.  Paul  com  - 
pared  himfelf,  and  according  to  which  h£  drew  up  his  Judgment.  And 
from  the  fame  Source  it  feems  to  be,  that  they  can  think  thofe  Word*. 
*vcr.  22.  applicable  to  the  Unregenerate.  I  delight  in  the  Law  of  C  .  / 
after  the  iwward  Man,  When  in  Truth  the  Unregenerate  are  in  cto 
Temper,  diametrically  oppofite  tp  the  Law,  Row,  8,  7, 


True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

they  differ  ;  which  is  Right,  and  which  is  Wrong.     But  fo 
much  for  the  firft  Inference,  that  the  Law  as  a  Rule  of  Duty , 
cannot  be  repealed  or  abated. 
And  now  to  proceed, 

2.  From  what  has  been  faid  it  is  evident,  that  tie  Law  in 
its  tfhreatnings  of  eternalDamnation  for  the  haft  Sin,  is  equally 
uncapabk  of  any  Repeal  cr  Abatement. —  For  if  our  Ooliga- 
tion,to  love  God  with  all  ourHearts  and  obey  him  in  every 
Thing,refulting  from  the  divine  Perfections,  is  infinite,eter- 
nal,  and  unchangeable  ;  and  if  therefore  the  leail  Sin  necef- 
farily  be  infiniteiyEvil,  and  deferving  of  an  infinite  Punim- 
ment,  and  unalterably  fo  •,  then  theLaw  confidered  as  threat- 
ning  eternal  Damnation  for  the  leaft  Sin,  is  in  its  own  Na 
ture  unalterably  holy  and  juft  :  And  confequently  it  cannot 
be  repealed,  ccnfiftently  with  theHolinefs,  Juftice,  andHo- 
nour  of  the  great  Governour  of  the  World.  If  theGover- 
nour  of  the  World  had,  in  a  mere  arbitrary  Manner^  made  a 
Law,  that  Sin  fhouldbe  punifhed  with  eternal  Damnation; 
then  he  might,  in  a  mere  arbitrary 'Manner ,  have  repealed  it  : 
But  fmce,  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  Juftice  called  for  zY,that 
fuch  a  Law  fhould  be  made,  therefore  fp  long  as  theGrounds 
and  Reafpns  of  the  Law  remain,  the  Law  canntj;,  injq/fricfr 
be  repealed. 

None  can  deny,  but  that  the  great  Governour  of  the 
World  lias  actually 'made  a  Law,  that  Sin  lhall  be  punifh- 
ed  with  eternal  Damnation  :  And  none  can  deny,  but  that 
this  Law  is  to  be  put  in  Execution,  to  the  full,  at  and  af 
ter  the  great  judgment- Day.  But  if  Juftice  had  not  called 
for  it,  furely  die  infinitely  good  Governour  of  the  World 
would  never  have  made  fuch  a  Law  -,  much  lefs  would  he 
ever  put  it  in  Execution.  For  to  make  and  execute  fuch  a 
Law,  in  a  merely  arbitrary  fovereign  Manner ^  -when  in  the 
Nature  of  Things  Juftice  does  not  call  for  ?V,  would  be  infi 
nitely  cruel  and  tyrannical,  and  perfectly  inconfiftent  with 
the  divine  Perfections  ;  as  is  felf-evident.  SeeG^z.  18.  25. 
and Ezek.  iB.  25. 

But  then,  if  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  made  this 
Law  not  arbitrarily^  but  becaufe  in  the  Nature  of  Things 
Juftice  called  for  it  ;  then  fo  long  as  the  Reafon  andGround 
sf  the  Lav/  remains,  the  Law  it  felf  cannot  in  Juftice  ever 

be 


and  diftinguljhed from  all  Counterfeits.  7 1 

be  repealed.  If  Juftice  called  for  its  being  made,  then  it 
cannot  be  tin-made  confiflently  with  Juftice,  fo  long  as  the 
Ground  and  Reafon  of  it  remains  •,  as  is  felf-evident. 
But  the  Reafon  of  the  Law  is,  in  the  Nature  of  Things, 
unalterable.  For  the  Reafon  of  the  Law  was  the  infinite 
Evil  of  Sin,  whereby  it  deferved  an  infinite  Punifhment,  As 
Long  therefore  as  Sin  remains  an  infinite  Evil,  fb  long  muft 
the  Law  ftand  unrepealed  :  But  Sin  will  always  be  an  infi 
nite  Evil,  fo  long  as  we  are  under  infinite  Obligations  to 
love  God  with  all  our  Hearts  and  obey  him  in  every  Thing; 
which  we  fhall  always  be,  fo  long  as  God  remains  infinitely 
glorious  and  amiable,  and  this  will  be  for  ever.  Therefore 
this  Law  can  never  pofiibly,  confiftent  with  divine  Juftice, 
be  repealed. 

For  any,  therefore,  to  defireto  have  it  repealed,  is  to  turn 
Enemy  to  the  Holinefs  and  Juftice  and  Honour  of  the  fu» 
preme  Ruler  of  the  World,  as  well  as  to  his  Law  and  Go 
vernment  :  And  argues,  that  they  have  no  Regard  to  the 
Rectitude  and  Fitnefs  of  Things,  but  only  to  Self-Intereft ; 
as  thofe  among  Men  are  real  Enemies  to  the  civil  Govern 
ment,  who  defire  the  good  and  wholefome  Laws  thereof  to 
be  repealed.  And  it  is  upon  this  Ground,  that  St.  Paul 
concludes  carnal  Men  to  be  at  Enmity  againft  GOD,  becaufe 
they  are  Enemies  to  his  LAW.  (Rom*  8.  7.)  For  if  Men 
loved  God,  they  would  be  difpofed  to  love  his  Law  and 
Government,  which  exprefs  his  Nature. 

To  fuppofe  therefore,  that  the  Son  of  God  came  into  the 
World  and  died,  that  the  Law  in  its  fhreatnings  might  be 
repealed,  is  to  fuppofe  that  he  alfo  is  turned  an  Enemy  to 
God,  to  his  Holinefs  and  Juftice,  to  his  Law  &:  Govern 
ment  ;  and  that  he  is  properly  gone  over  to  been  the  Side 
of  his  Father's  rebellious  Subjects. 

Befides,  to  what  Purpofe  would  it  have  been  (  on  the 
Hypothecs  of  thefe  Men)  for  Chrift  to  have  died,  that  the 
Law  in  its  Threatnings  might  be  repealed  ?  What  Need 
was  there  of  it  ?  or  what  Good  would  it  have  done  ?  For  if 
in  Juftice  it  .ought  to  have  been  repealed,  there  was  no 
Need  of  his  dying  to  procure  this :  Or,  if  in  Juftice  it 
ought  not  to  be  repealed,  then  his  dying  could  not  procure 
it?  and  fg  would  do  no  Good.  The  righteoys  Governour 

F  4  of 


72  True  Religion  delineated         Dis  I. 

of  the  World  would  have  repealed  it  of  his  own  Accord, 
if  it  had  been  right  and  fit  fo  to  do  :  and  if  in  the  Nature 
of  Things  it  was  not  right,  then  not  any  Thing  whatever 
could  perfwade  him  to  do  it. 

But  the  Truth  is,  Chriftcame  into  the  World  and  died 
to  anfwer  all  theDemands  of  theLaw  •,  thatfo  altho' theSinner 
be  faved,  yet  the  Law  might  never  be  repealed,  but  be 
firmly  eftablifhed/  For  the  Governour  of  Heaven  &  Earth 
was  utterly  againft  the  Law's  being  repealed,  as  a  Thing 
in  itfelf  infinitely  unreafonable.  And  therefore  theApoftle 
fays,  Do  we  make  void  the  Law  thro*  Faith  ?  God  forbid  ! 
Tea^  we  eftablijh  the  Law.  (Rom.  3.  31.)  And  indeed  it 
was  nothing  but  God's  infinite  Averfion  to  repeal  the  Law, 
as  aThing  in  itfelf  infinitely  unfit  &  wrong,  that  was  theThing 
which  made  the  Death  of  Chrift  needful.  For,  if  the  Law 
might  have  been  repealed,  Sinners  might  have  been  faved 
without  any  more  ado  :  but  if  it  could  not,  and  muft  not 
be  repealed,  then  the  Demands  of  it  muft  be  anfwered  by 
fome  Means  or  other,  or  every  Sinner  damned.  And  now 
Chrift  ftep'd  in  and  did  this  j  and  fo  fecured  the  Honour 
of  God's  Holinefs  &  Juftice,  Law  and  Government,  and 
opened  a  Way  for  the  Sinner's  Salvation.  And  this  Ac 
count  of  the  Reafon  of  (Thrift's  Death  the  Scriptures  plainly 
give  us.  Gal.  .3.  10,  15,  14.  Cur  fed  is  every  one  that  conti- 
nueth  not  in  all  Things  written  in  the  Book  of  the  Law  to  do 
them. — Chrift  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  Curfe  of  the  Law, 
being  made  a  Curfe  for  us. —  That  the  Bleffing  of  Abraham 
might  come  on  the  Gentiles  thro'  Jefus  Chrift.  For  (Heb, 
9.  22.)  without  jhedding  of  Blood  there  is  no  Remiffion. 
Therefore  (Rom.  3.  25,26.)  Chrift  was  fet  forth  to  be  a 
Propitiation  for  Sin,  —  to  declare  hisRighteoufncfs^ —  that  he 
might  be  j  lift  ^  and  the  Juftifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jefus. 
And  hence  ($.  31,)  Do  we  make  void  the  Law  thro9  Faith? 
God  forbid  !  Yra,  we  eftablijh  the  Law. 

Yea,  the  Apoftle  evidently  fets  out  upon  thisHypothefis, 
that  the  Law  is  not  repealed,  but  ftands  in  full  Force.  He 
lays  this  down  as  a  firft  Principle,  in  that  argumentative 
Difcourfc  which  we  have  in  the  three  firft  Chapters  of  his 
Epiftle  to  the  Romans.  Chap.  i.  j£  1 8.  The  Wrath  of  God 
/; revealed  fromHea^?i  againft  allUngodlinefs  &Unright eoufnefs 


and diftmguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   7 3 

of  Men.  And  taking  this  for  granted,  he  goes  on  to  prove, 
that  both  Jews  and  Greeks  are  all  under  Sin,  and  fo  the  whole 
World  guilty  before  God  ;  to  the  iqthver.  of  the  3d 
Chap.  And  hence  he  argues,  that  by  the  Deeds  of  the  Law 
no  Flcjh  could  bejuftified.  But  now,  if  the  Law  was  repealed, 
the  whole  World  was  not  Guilty  before  God,  nor  any  one 
in  the  World  :  For  Sin  is  not  imputed^  'where  there  is  no  Law. 
(  Rom.  5.  13  ) —  And  if  the  Law  was  repealed,  whatNeed 
was  there  of  fuch  a  longTrain  of  Arguments,  to  prove,  that 
no  Flefh  could  be  juftified  by  the  Law  ?  For  it  would  have 
been  enough  to  have  faid,that  a  repealed  Law  could  neither 
juftify  nor  condemn  any  Body. — And  why  does  he  ufe  fuch 
Arguments  as  he  does  ?  For  thus  he  reafons,  "  TheLaw 
"  requires  perfedObedience  as  aCondition  of  Life,&  threat- 
"  ens  Tribulation  and  Wrath  againft  every  Soul  of  Man 
"  that  doth  Evil  :  But  Jews  and  Gentiles  have  all  finned  : 
"  Therefore  are  all  guilty  &  condemned  according  toLaw ; 
"  and  confequently  cannot  be  cleared  and  juftified  byLaw." 
For  all  thisReafoning  fuppofes,  that  the  Law  is  as  much  in 
Force  as  ever  it  was.  And  accordingly  he  goes  on  to  mew, 
that  the  Defign  of  Chrift's  Death  was  to  anfwer  the  De 
mands  of  the  Law,  that  there  might  be  a  Way  opened  for 
the  Salvation  of  Sinners,  confident  with  divine  Juilice,  and 
at  the  fame  Time  the  Law  not  be  made  void,  but  eftablifh- 
ed  5  As  was  before  obferved. 

And  now  this  being  the  Cafe, 

Hence,  we  find  the  Scriptures  every  where  look  upon 
thofe  that  have  not'  a  fpecial  Intereft  in  theRighteoufnefs  of 
Chrift  by  Faith,  as  being  as  much  under  the  Wrath  of  God 
andCurfe  of  theLaw,  as  if  Chrift  had  never  died.  Job.  3.18. 
He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already.  $36.  The  Wrath 
cf  God  abideth  upon  him.  And,  Gal.  3.  10.  As  many  as  are 
cfthtWorks  of  theLaw  are  under  theCurfe.  And,  Rom.  i.  18. 
The  Wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  Heaven,  againft  allUngod- 
linefs  andUnrighteoufnefs  of  Men.  who  hold  the  Truth  inUn- 
righteoufnefs.—  Thus  the  Wrath  of  God  is  revealed  againft 
theUnbeliever  •,  yea,  abides  upon  him  ,  yea,  the  Law  conr 
demns  and  curfes  him.  But  if  the  Law  had  been  repealed 
by  the  Death  of  Chrift,  all  the  World  would  have  been 
freed  from  the  Curfe,  For  a  repealed  Law,  '  can  neither 

blefs 


74          True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

blefs  the  righteous,  nor  curfe  the  wicked  *  but  ftands  for 
nothing. 

And  hence  alfo,we  find  thatChriftlefsSinners,when  awak 
ened  by  theHolySpirit  to  fee  and  feel  what  a  State  they  are 
in;  are  always  convinced  that  they  are  under  the  Wrath  of 
God  and  Curfe  of  the  Law  -,  and  hereby  are  made  to  un- 
derftand  their  Need  of  a  Saviour.  (  Rom.  3.19,  20.)  But 
if  the  Law  had  been  repealed  by  the  Death  of  Chrift,  this 
could  not  be  ;  for  they  would  then  have  been  under  no 
Wrath,  nor  Curfe.  Nor  would  any  have^ever  felt  a  Spirit  of 
Bondage^  as  they  do  in  every  Age  of  theWorld,and  as  they 
ufed  to  do  in  St.  Paul's  Day.  (  Rom.  8.15.)  For  it  is  the 
Law  only,  that  works  Wrath.  Rom.  4.  15. 

And  hence  we  mall  find,  even  all  the  World  mall  find, 
and  Thoufands  and  Thoufands  to  their  everlafting  Sorrow, 
that  when  the  Day  of  Judgment  comes,  the  Law  mall  be 
executed  with  the  utmoft  Severity,  upon  all  that  know  not 
God,  andobeynot  theGofpelofJefusChrifi.  (2. The/.  1.7,8.) 
And  God's  Juflice  in  fo  doing  will  mine  bright  in  the  Sight 
of  all  Worlds  :  For  he  defigns  on  that  Day  to  reveal  the 
Righteoufnefs  of  his  Judgments.  And  hence  it  is  called, 
the  Day  of  the  Revelation  of  the  righteous  Judgment  of  God, 
(Rom.  2.  $.)  But  if  the  Law  is  repealed  by  the  Death  of 
Chrift,  and  if  God  has  told  the  World  that  he  has  repealed 
it  •,  for  him  now  to  revive  it,  &  judge  &  condemn  the  World 
by  it  ;  would  be  to  caftCon tempt  upon  theDeath  of  Chrift, 
and  deceive  his  poor  Creatures,  and  unmercifully  and  un- 
righteoufly  judge  and  condemn  them,  by  a  Law  that  was 
repealed,  a  Law  they  never  were  under,  and  fo  ought  never 
to  have  been  judged  by.  From  the  whole  therefore,  it  is 
evident  that  the  Law,  that  threatens  eternal  Damnation  for 
the  leaft  Sin,  never  has  been,  nor  ever  will  be  repealed. 

Well  then  ( if  this  be  the  Cafe  )  may  Minifters  thunder- 
Hell  and  Damnation  againft  a  fecure,  wicked  World.  And 
well  may  poor  Sinners  tremble  under  a  Senfe  of  divine 
Wrath,  when  their  Eyes  begin  to  be  opened  to  fee  where 
they  be.  For  all  thofe  Comforts  that  the  Formalift  gets  by- 
thinking  the  Law  is  abated  or  difannulled,  and  fo  his  State 
fafe,  are  but  the  Refult  of  an  erroneous  Head  and  a  Heart 
fecure  in  Sin.  And  what  has  been  faid  under  this  Particu 
lar 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  7  5 

lar,  will  rationally  account  for  all  the  Agony  and  Diftrefs 
of  an  awakenedSinner. —  When  God,  the  greatGovernour 
of  the  World,  the  Revenger  of  Sin,  begins  to  make  the  poor 
Sinner  remember  his  Ways  and  his  Doings  which  have  not 
been  right,  and  fee  what  a  Creature  he  is,  and  what  a  Con 
dition  he  is  in,  and  be  fenfible  of  what  he  deferves  ;  and 
when  he  comes  to  underftand  that  his  Soul  is  forfeited,  and 
that  it  is  right  that  Juftice  ftiould  take  Place,  and  that  God 
is  at  Liberty  to  do  as  he  pleafes  :  Surely  this  muft  beHeart- 
rending,  Soul-diftrefiing  to  a  poor,  finful,  guilty,  Hell-de- 
ferving  Creature. 

And  if  God  will  not  repeal  the  Law,  but  ftill  infift  upon 
it,  that  it  is  holy  and  juft ;  no  wonder  the  Sinner  is  made 
to  own  it  too,  before  ever  he  is  pardoned.  For  it  would  be 
unbecoming  the  fupreme  Lord  of  the  Univerfe,  to  grant  a 
Pardon  to  a  guilty  Rebel,  that  is  too  high-hearted  to  own, 
that  the  Law  by  which  he  (lands  condemned,  is  holy  and 
juft. —  O  how  right  it  is,  that  the  Sinner  mould  come 
down,  and  fee  and  know  and  own  for  ever,  that  he  is  juftly 
condemned,  and  as  fuch  apply  himfelf  to  the  Sovereign 
Grace  of  God  thro'  JefusChrift  for  a  Pardon  !  And  O  how 
fovereign  and  free  and  divine,is  thatGrace,that  pardons  and 
faves  the  poor,  finful,  guilty,  Hell-deferving  Wretch  thro* 
Jefus  Chrift  !  (Rom.  3.  19,  27. ) — And  thus  as  God  the 
Father  honours  the  Law,  by  refufing  to  repeal  it  -,  and  God 
the  Son,  by  anfwering  it's  Demands  •,  fo  does  God  the  Holy 
Ghoft,  by  making  the  poor  Sinner,  fee  and  feel  and  own, 
that  it  is  holy  and  juft,  before  ever  he  internally  reveals  the 
Mercy  of  God  thro5  Jefus  Chrift  unto  him.  So  that  the 
Law  is  honoured,  and  Sin  is  irribittered,  and  the  Sinner  hum 
bled,  and  Grace  glorified,  all  at  once. —  As  in  the  external 
Revelation  God  has  made  in  his  Word,  the  Law  is  before 
the  Gofpel  ;  fo  it  is  in  internal  Influences  andOperations  of 
the  holySpirit  upon  theElect ;  and  that  for  the  fameReafon, 
tiattheLaw  might  be  a  School-Mafter^  tobringMen  toCbrift. 

To  conclude,  from  all  that  has  been  faid,  we  may  learn 
what  to  think  of  the  Religion  and  of  theHopes  of  thefe  two 
Sorts  of  Men. —  (  i. )  The  legal  Hypocrite  :  who  fuppofing, 
that  the  good  old  Law  is  repealed  and  laid  afide,  and  that  a 
new  Law>  only  requiring^w  Qbediencey  is  eftablilhed  in 

its 


7  6  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

its  Room  •,  hence  meerly  from  Self-love,  and  for  Self-ends, 
fets  about  Duty  and  endeavours  to  be  fincere  •>  and  here 
on  this  Foundation  builds  all  his  Hopes  of  Acceptance 
in  the  Sight  of  God.  For  fmce  the  Law  is  not  repealed, 
but  {lands  in  full  Force  ;  therefore  the  Religion  of  fuch,  is 
not  that  'Thing  which  God  requires  or  will  accept ;  and  their 
new  Law  is  a  Wbhn^  and  their  Hopes  are  all  built  on  the 
Sand.  Their  whole  Scheme  refults  from  a  total  Ignorance 
of  God,  and  his  Law,  and  the  prefent  State  of  Mankind  •, 
and  is  entirely  built  on  Falfehood. —  (  2.  )  The  Evangelical 
Hypocrite :  All  whofe  Faith  &  Joy  originally  refult  from  a 
fuppofed  Difcovery,  of  the  Love  of  God,  or  Love  of  Chrift, 
or  that  his  Sins  are  pardoned.  This  Difcovery  is  the  Foun 
dation  of  hisFaith,  and  hisFaith  is  theFoundation  of  his  Joy 
and  of  all  his  Religion.  And  yet  the  Thing  difcovered  is 
a  Lie.  For,  as  has  been  proved,  everyone  until  he  is  a 
Believer,  until  he  has  acted  Faith,  is  not  pardoned,  but  con 
demned  •,  is  not  beloved  of  God,  but  under  his  Wrath  ;  and 
therefore  to  have  Pardon  of  Sin  and  the  Love  of  God  dif 
covered  before  the  firft  act  of  Faith,  and  to  have  fuch  a  Dif 
covery  lay  the  Foundation  for  the  firft  act  of  Faith,  and  a 
Foundation  for  all  Religion,  is  to  be  impofed  upon  with  a 
Lie,  and  to  have  a  grofs  Falfehood  lie  at  the  Foundation 
of  their  Faith,  their  Religion  and  of  all  their  Hopes. —  The 
/*§•<&/ Hypocrite  may  be  convinced  by  fuchScriptures  as  thefe, 
Luk.  1 8.  9 — 13.  Rom.  3.  20 — 31.  andCbap.  4.  f.  5.  Which 
prove  that  a  Man  cannot  find  Acceptance  with  God  by  his 

own  Righteoufnefs. —And  the  evangelical  Hypocrite  may 

be  convinced  by  fuch  Scriptures  as  thefe,  Job.  3.  18,  36. 
AR.  3.  19.  Which  prove  that  a  Sinner  is  not  pardoned 
till  after  Faith. —  A  true  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the  Law,  would 
effectually  convince  the  one,  and  the  other,  that  all  their 
Hopes  are  built  on  wrong  Apprehenfions  of  Things  •,  and 
that  all  their  Religion  is  Counterfeit  ^  and  that  they  are  yet 
in  the  Gall  of  Bitternefs  and  Bonds  of  Iniquity  :  And  the 
one  would  no  longer  venture  his  Soul  on  his  own  Righteouf- 
nefsy  nor  the  other  on  his  Difcovery.  The  Law's  infifting 
upon  perfect,  finlefs  Obedience,  would  convince  the  one, 
that  his  own  Righteoufnefs  might  not  be  depended  upon  : 
.and  the  Law's  curling  every  Unbeliever,  would  convince 

the 


and  dijlinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  7  7 

the  other,  that  hisDifcovery  was  falfe.  And  the  Law's  re 
quiring  us  to  loveGod  primarily  for  his  own  Beauty,  would 
convince  both  of  their  gracelefs  Eftates,  in  as  much  as  the 
Religion  of  both  primarily  takes  its  Rife  from  Self-  love. — 
It  is  from  the  want  of  a  realizing  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the 
Nature  and  Extent  of  the  Law,  and  that  out  of  Chrift  we 
are  expofed  to  all  the  Curfes  thereof,  that  a  fmful,  guilty 
World  are  fo  infenfible  of  their  gracelefs,  and  their  wretched 
and  miferable  Condition,  and  fo  apt  to  flatter  themfelves 
that  they  are  rich,  and  increafed  in  Goods,and  fland  in  Need 
of  Nothing.  Rom.  7.  8,9.  Without  the  Law  Sin  was  dead. — 
I  was  alive  without  the  Law  once. 

Thus  we  fee  that  the  Obligation  which  we  were  under,  to 
love  God  with  all  our  Hearts,  refusing  from  the  infinite  Ex 
cellency  of  the  divine  Nature,  antecedent  to  all  felfifh  Confi- 
derations,  is  infinitely^  eternally  and  unchangeably  binding. 
And  thus  we  fee  a  Variety  of  important  Confequences 
neceflarily  following  therefrom.  And  I  have  infifted  the 
longer  upon  the  Nature  of  thisObligation,  not  only  becaufe 
it  is  the  firft  and  greateft  ;  but  becaufe  it  has  a  mighty  In 
fluence  into  all  our  additional  Obligations.- —  For, 

5.  and  laftly.  It  is  from  the  infinite  Excellency  of  the  divine 
Nature^  that  all  our  additional  Obligations  originally  derive 
their  Strength^  their  Energy ',  their  binding  Power.  The  infi 
nite  Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature  fo  entirely  lays  the 
Foundation  of  it's  being  our  Duty  to  iove  God  with  all  our 
Hearts,that  were  it  not  for  this,it  would  ceafe  to  be  ourDuty, 
notwithftanding  all  other  Confiderations.  If  he  were  not 
by  Nature  GOD,  it  would  not  be  fit,  that  we  fhould  love 
and  worfhip  him  as  GOD,  upon  any  Account  whatfoever. 
He  could  have  no  fuch  Right  to  us  •,  or  Authority  over  us, 
as  to  make  it  our  Duty  •,  nor  could  he  render  it  our 
Duty  by  ihewing  of  us  any  Kindnefs  whatfoever.  Yea,  if 
he  were  not  by  Nature  GOD,  it  would  be  wrong  for  us  to 
pay  him  divine  Adoration.  It  would  be  Idolatry.  It  would 
be  a  worfhiping  of  one  as  God,  who  by  Nature  is  not  God. 
And  by  the  fame  Argument  which  the  Orthodox  have  been 
wont  to  ufe  againft  the  Brians,  who  deny  the  Divinity  of 
Chrift  ;  If  he  be  not  a  divinePerfon^he  ought  not  to  have  divine 
Worjhip  paid  him  ;  I  fay,  by  the  fame  Argument,  if  God 

were 


78  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

were  not  by  Nature  GOD,  it  could  not  upon  any  Account 
be  Right  and  our  Duty,  to  love  and  worfhip  him  as  God. 
It  is  his  being  by  Nature  God,  his  being  what  he  is,  and 
his  infinite  Excellency  in  being  fuch,  which  therefore  lays 
the  original  Foundation  of  all  our  Obligations,  and  which 
gives  Life  and  Energy  to  all.  And  accordingly  we  may 
obferve,  that  the  original  Ground  and  Reafon  upon  which 
God,  as  Governour  of  the  World,  acts,  in  making  a  Law 
that  we  mould  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts,  is,  becaufe  he 
is  the  Lord.  As  is  evident  from  the  Tenor  of  the  Law  it 
felf.  Thoujhalt  love  the  LORD  &c.  i.  e.  Becaufe  he  is  the 
LORD,  &c.  Yea,  it  is  upon  this  Ground  originally  that 
God  takes  it  upon  him  to  give  all  his  Laws  to  us ;  for  this 
is  the  conftant  Style,  Thus  and  thus  Jh all  ye  do,  FOR  I  AM 
THE  LORD. 

Thofe  therefore,  who  are  influenced  to  love  and  worfhip 
God,  not  at  all  becaufe  he  is  God,  but  altogether  from  other 
Confiderations  ;  not  at  all  from  a  Senfe  of  his  infinite  Ex 
cellency,  but  altogether  on  other  Accounts  \  are  fo  far  from 
being  truly  religious,  that  they  are  indeed  guilty  of  great 
Wickednefs  in  all  they  do.  For  altho5  they  pretend  to  love 
and  worfhipGod,  yet  it  is  not  at  all  becaufe  he  is  God  :  tho* 
they  pretend  to  pay  divine  Adoration  to  him,  yet  it  is  not 
at  all  becaufe  he  is  a  divine  Being.  So  that  when  they  pre 
tend  to  pay  divine  Worfhip  and  Adoration  to  God,  it  is 
meerly  from  fome  felfifh  Confideration,  from  Self-love  and 
for  Self-ends  ;  there  is  no  true  Regard  to  God,  but  all  cen 
ters  in  Self.  So  that  Self  indeed  is  their  Idol,  and  the  only 
God  they  ferve.  And  their  pretending  to  love  and  worfhip 
God  is  mere  Mockery. —  When  they  pretend  to  love  and 
worfhip  God,  it  is  not  at  all  becaufe  he  is  God,  not  at  all 
from  a  Senfe  of  his  divine  Glory  -,  but  only  to  appeafe  his 
Ans;er  and  obtain  his  Favour,  or  becaufe  they  confider  him 
as  their  Friend  and  Benefactor.  And  now  to  come  to*  God 
and  pretend  to  worfhip  him  as  if  he  was  God,  and  yet  not 
to  do  it  at  all  becaufe  he  is  God,  but  for  mean  &  mercenary 
and  felfifh  Ends,  is  a  very  complicated  Wickednefs :  and 
to  trynk  to  pleafe  God  in  this  Way,  and  get  into  Favour  by 
this  Means,difcovers  fuch  Ignorance  and  Contempt  of  God, 
and  a  Frame  of  Heart  fo  full  of  fecret  Blafphemy,  fpiritual 

Idolatry, 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits  79 

Idolatry,  Pride,  and  Hypocrify,  as  cannot  eafily  beexprefT- 
ed. —  They  practically  deny  his  Divinity :  yet  pretend  to 
pay  him  divine  Worfhip. —  They  pretend  to  ferve  God  : 
yet  really  intend  only  to  ferve  themfelves. —  They  make  as 
if  they  loved  God :  But  only  love  themfelves. — Yet  fo  into 
lerably  mean  are  their  Thoughts  of  God,  that  they  expect 
to  pleafe  him  by  all  this. —  To  make  the  beft  of  it,  all  that 
Religion  is  mere  Hypocrify,  which  does  not  primarily  take 
its  Rife  from  a  Senfe  of  the  infinite  Excellency  of  the  di 
vine  Nature. 

Thus  then  we  fee  what  is  thefrft  and  chief  Motive  of  a 
genuine  Love  to  God. —  He  is  a  Being  of  infinite  Under- 
ftanding,&:  of  almighty  Power,  infinite  in  WifdomjHolinefs, 
Juftice,  Goodnef,  and  Truth  •,  and  fo  a  Being  of  infinite 
Glory  and  Excellency  \  and  fo  infinitely  amiable,  and  infi 
nitely  worthy  to  be  loved  with  all  our  Hearts.  —  And  this 
Obligation  is  binding  originally  in  itfelf,  antecedent  to  a 
Confideration  of  any  other  Motive  whatfoever  :  and  it  is 
infinitely,  eternally  and  unchangeably  binding,  and  gives 
Life  and  Energy  and  Strength  to  all  other  Obligations. — 
And  hence  if  we  do  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts,  we  do 
but  our  Duty  and  deferve  noThanks  :  But  we  are  infinitely 
to  blame  for  the  lead  Defect,  and  can  never  do  any  Thing 
to  atone  for  it,  but  deferve  everlafting  Damnation.  And  it 
will  always  be  our  Duty  thus  to  love  God,  and  the  leail  De 
fect  will  be  always  thus  blame- worthy,  let  our  Circumflan- 
ces  as  to  Happinefs  or  Mifery  be  what  they  will.  All  our 
Hearts  will  be  always  due  to  God,  and  we  mall  always 
ftand  bound  to  pay  this  Debt,  whether  we  have  any  Heart 
for  it  or  no.  And  God  will  always  appear  fuch  an  infinite 
Enemy  to  the  leaft  Defect,  as  in  his  Law  he  has  declared 
himfelf  to  be  ;  nor  is  there  any  Hopes  of  our  finding  Acr 
ceptance  in  his  Sight,unlefs  it  be  by  aUnion  to  and  Intereft 
inHim,who  has  anfwered  all  theDemands  of  theLaw  in  the 
Room  of  thofe  who  believe  in  Him.  And  allPretence  of 
Love  to  God  which  does  not  take  its  Rife  from  this  Foun 
dation,  is  but  meer  Hypocrify. All  thefe  Confequence$ 

fo  necefiarily  follow,  from  a  Suppofition  of  the  infinite  Ex 
cellency  &  Amiablenefs  of  the  divine  Nature,  and  fo  evi- 
dently,as  that  if  God  be  but  feen  aright;  a  Senfe  of  his  infinite 

Beauty 


8  o          True  Religion  delineated         D I  s .  I. 

Beauty  will  immediately  aflure  the  Heart,that  thefe  Things 
are  fo.  A  Senfe  of  his  infinite  Glory  will  make  us  fee  and 
feel  that  we  are  under  infinite  Obligations  to  love  him 
with  all  ourHearts,  and  that  we  could  deferve  noThank^s  for 
doing  fo,  but  that  the  leaft  Detect  is  infinitely  Wrong,  &c. 
A  Senfe  of  the  infiniteGlory  of  God  will  effectually  eftablifh 
the  Heart  in  thefe  Things  againft  all  the  fubtle  Arguments 
and  fair  Pretences  of  Hereticks.  A  Senfe  of  the  infinite 
Glory  of  God  immediately  imparted  to  the  Soul  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  whereby  the  Heart  is  thus  divinely  eftablifh- 
ed  in  the  Belief  of  the  Truth,  is  therefore  that  Unffion  from 
the  holy  One,  which  all  the  Saints  have,  whereby  they  arc 
effectually  fecured  from  being  finally  led  away  by  falfe 
Teachers.  At  leail  that  Unttion  confiils  partly  in  this. 
i  Job.  2.  20. — 27. —  And  at  the  fame  Time,  that  thePeo- 
ple  of  God  are  thus  eftablifhed  in  theBelief  of  thefe  Truths, 
relating  to  Law  and  Duty,  from  a  Senfe  of  the  infinite  Glo 
ry  ofGod  -y  I  fay,  at  the  fameTime  this  Senfe  of  the  infinite 
Glory  of  God,  begets  a  Difpofition  in  the  Heart  to  conform 
to  this  Law  and  do  this  Duty.  And  thus  it  is  that  God 
writes  his  Law  in  our  Hearts  and  puts  it  in  our  inwardParts, 
when  he  intends  to  become  our  God  and  to  make  us  his  Peo 
ple.  (  Heb.  8.  10,  n.)  And  hence  it  begins  to  be  the  Na 
ture  of  the  People  of  God,  to  love  him  with  all  theirHearts. 
And  their  Views  and  their  Temper  and  every  Thing  elfe 
being  thus  entirely  new,  hence  they  are  called  new  Creatures. 
Old  Things  are  paft  away,  and  all  Things  are  become  new. — 
But  now  this  Senfe  of  the  infinite  Glory  of  God,  which  thus 
lays  the  very  loweft  Foundation  of  true  Religion,  is  intirely 
left  out  of  all  falfe  Religions.  And  by  this,  true  Religion 
ftands  diftinguiihed,  as  fomething  fpecifically  different  from 
all  the  falfe  Religions  in  the  World.  And  hence  we  may 
obferve,that  it  is  fpokenof  inSchpture,as  fomething  peculiar 
to  true  Saints,that  they  feeGod, and  knowGod.Joh.  8.19,55. 
Te  neither  know  me,  nor  my  Father.  Joh.  14.  19  The  fVprld 
feeth  me  no  more,  but  ye  fee  me.  i  Joh.  3.  6.  Whomever  fin- 
neth,  hath  not  feen  him,  neither  known  him.  i  Joh.  2.3. 
Hereby  we  do  know,  that  we  know  him,  if  we  keep  his  Com 
mandments,  i  Joh.  4.  7,8.  Every  one  that  loveth,  knowethGod. 
He  that  loueth  not,  knoweth  not  God. —  And  the  unregene- 

rate 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  8 1 

rate  not  knowing  God,  not  having  a  Senfe  of  his  infinite 
Glory  to  lay  the  Foundation  of  their  Love  and  of  their 
Religion  -,  hence  all  theirLove  and  all  theirReligion  entirely 
take  their  Rife  from  mere  felfifh  Considerations,  and  nothing 
but  Self-love  lies  at  Bottom.  And  hence  it  is  natural  for 
unregenerate  Men  to  think  they  deferve  fomething  for  their 
Duties,  and  as  natural  to  be  infenfible  of  the  infinite  Evil  of 
their  Sins.  And  fo  'tis  their  Nature,  to  magnify  and  be 
proud  of  their  own  Goodnefs,  and  to  extenuate  and  be  un- 
humbled  for  theirBadnefs.  And  from  hence  refults  our  native 
Averlion  to  Faith  and  Repentance,  and  Contrariety  to  the 
Gofpd-Way  of  Salvation.  And  now  NEW  Gcfpels,  new  Sorts 
of  Faith  and  Repentance  are  coined,  new  Notions  of  Religi 
on  contrived,  to  fuit  the  depraved  Temper  and  Vitiated 
Taite  of  unhumbled,  impenitent  Sinners,  who  are  concern 
ed  to  fecure  their  own  Intereft,  but  care  not  what  becomes 
of  God's  Honour.  Hence  Errors  take  their  Rife,  and  pro- 
fefilng  Chriflians  are  divided  into  Parties,  and  one  runs  this 
Way,  and  another  that,  and  all  hope  to  get  to  Heaven  at 
laft. —  And  now  at  length  after  fo  great  a  variety  of  Infer 
ences  and  Remarks,  and  fo  large  a  Confideration  of  the  firft 
and  chief  Motive  of  a  genuine  Love  to  God  i  I  proceed, 

2.  To  take  a  fhort  View  of  the  additional  Obligations 
which  we  tie  under,  to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts.  /  AM 
THE  LORD,  (  this  lays  the  firft  Foundation,  and  leads  the 
Way,  when  from  Mount  Sinai,  the  Almighty  proclaims 
his  Law,  but  then  he  immediately  goes  on  to  add,)  fH3T 
GOD,  which  brought  thee  out  of  the  Land  of  Egypt  and  out  of 
the  Houfe  of  Bondage.  Exod.  20. —  God  has  fuch  a  Right 
to  us,  and  fuch  an  Authority  over  us,  and  has  done  fo  many 
Things  for  us,  and  promifed  fo  many  Things  to  us,  that 
our  additional  Obligations  to  be  the  Lord's,  to  love  him  and 
Jive  to  him,  are  exceeding  great. 

Particularly, 

^  Nothing  is  more  reafonable  than  that  we  fliould  be  en 
tirely  dedicated  to  that  God,  whofe  we  be,  originally,  and  by 
an  entire,  underived  and  unalienable  Right.  Efpecially  con- 
fidering  what  he  is  in  himfelf,  and  that  he  is  Lord  of  all 
Things,  and  by  Nature  God  moft  high. —  Indeed,  if  our 
Creator  was  not  by  Nature  the  moft  high  God,  then  he  could 

G  not 


82  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

not  be  the  fupreme  Lord  of  all  Things  -9  for  there  would  be 
one  above  him  ^  and  fo  we  fhould  not  be  his,  entirely  and 
abfolutely  ^  for  he  himfelf  and  we  his  Creatures,  would  be 
long  originally  to  another,  even  to  him  that  by  Nature 
would  be  the  moft  high  God  ^  and  him  we  ought  to  love 
and  worihip. But  our  Creator  himfelf,  being  abfo 
lutely  the  firft,  and  abfoiutely  fupreme,  Self-exiftent  and 
independent,  the  fole  Author  and  Lord  of  all  Things,  as 
well  as  infinitely  glorious  in  himfelf,hisRight  to  us  is  origi 
nal,  undenved  and  moft  abfolute  and  entire.  And  therefore 
it  is  infinitely  fit  and  fuitable,  that  we  mould  be,  in  the  con- 
ftant  Frame  and  Difpofition  of  our  Hearts,  abfolutely,  en- 
titely  and  wholly  the  Lord's,  and  that  we  mould  for  ever 
exert  all  our  Powers,  to  the  very  utmoft,  to  promote  his 
Honour  and  Intereft.  And  it  is  infinitely  unreafonable  that  - 
we  fhould  ever  fet  up  ourfelves,  and  be  attached  to  any  In-  , 

tereft  of  our  own,  feparate  from  his. And  inafmuch  as 

he  is  infinitely  better  than  we  be,  ( Yea  all  the  Nations  of 
the  Earth^  are  lefs  than  nothing  before  him,}  and  has  fuch  an 
entire  Right  unto  us,  his  Intereft  therefore  fhould  be  re 
garded  as  more  valuable  than  our  own,  yea,  infinitely  more. 
For  if  our  own  Intereft  appears  as  valuable  to  us,  as  his  j 
we  fet  our  felves  upon  a  level  with  him,  and  claim  as  great 
a  Right  to  our  felves,  as  he  has  ;  and  if  his  Intereft  does 
not  appear  as  being  of  infinitely  greater  Value  to  us,  than 
our  own,  we  do  not  efteem  him  as  being  infinitely  better, 
than  we  be  ourfeives,  and  his  Right  to  us  infinitely  greater, 
than  our  own  Right  to  our  felves  is. —  It  is  therefore  infi 
nitely  reafonable,  fmce  God  is  what  he  is,  and  has  fuch  a 
Right  to  us  as  he  has,  that  we  fhould  be  conftantly  from- 
the  very  bottom  of  our  Hearts  wholly  his,  and  every  Mo 
ment  live  wholly  to  him>  and  always  have  his  Intereft  Jie_ 
moft  near  cur  Hearts,  as  being  of  infinitely  more  Worth 
Value  and  Importance  than  our  own.  AsMofes,  who  in  a 
Meafure  was  made  Partaker  of  this  divine  Nature,  in  the 
Anguiih  of  his  Heart  cries,  when  God  tells  him  he  will  cut 
off7/h2£/,and  make  of  him  a  great  Nation,  "  Lord,let  my 
"  Name  be  blotted  out  of  thy  Book^  let  it  t>e  forgotten  from 
"  among  the  living,  and  be  never  heard  of  again  in  the 
*_'  World  that  .ever  I  was.  inBeing  :  But  what  will  become  of 


and  diftinguifoed from  allCcunterfeits.  #3 

"  thy  great  Name  /"  God's  Honour  and  Intereft  was  .dear 
to  him  •,  but  he,  comparatively,  cared  not  for  his  own,  at 
all.  Exod.  32.  Num.  14. 

But  this  our  Obligation  to  be  entirely  the  Lord's,  is  flill 
infinitely  increafed,  if  we  confider  the  Authority  of  the  .1U- 
preme  Governcur  of  the  World,  which,  by  his  exprefs  Law^ 
has  enjoined  this  upon  us.  It  is  net  only  infinitely  fit  in 
its  own  Nature,  that  we  fhould  love  God  with  all  our 
Hearts,  confidering  what  he  is  in  himfeif,  and  that "  we 
fhould  be  entirely  tor  him,  in  the  Temper  of  our  Minds, 
ccnfidering  what  an  entire  Right  he  has  to  us  as  his  Crea 
tures,  who  have  received  all  we  have  from  him,  and  are  ab- 
folutely  dependent  on  him  for  all  we  want  •,  but  God  has, 
by  Law,  as  Governour  of  the  World,  enjoined  this  upon  us 

as  our  Duty,  and  that  with  all  his  Authority. And  now 

confidering  what  he  is  in  himfeif,  and  the  natural  Right  he 
has  to  all  Things,  and  how  entirely  we  are  his,  and  abfo- 
lutely  under  his  Government,  his  AUTHORITY  is  infi 
nitely  binding. —  Efpecially  confidering,  how  infinitely  en- 
"gagea,  he  appears  to  be,  to  fee  that  hisLaw  be  exaffly  obeyed, 
in  promifmg  eternal  Life  on  the  one  Hand,  and  threatning 
eternal  Damnation  on  the  other.  This  his  infinite  Engaged- 
nefs,  lays  us  under  infinite  Bonds,  to  be  and  do,  exaftly  what 
he  requires. 

But  full,  our  Obligation  to  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts, 
and  be  wholly  the  Lord's,  is  yet  infinitely  more  increafed, 
if  we  ccnfider  what  Ways  the  Lord  has  taken  with  us  in  this 
apoflate  World,  fince  our  Rebellion  againil  him,  fmce  we 
have  loil  all  Eileem  of  him,  turned  Enemies  to  him,  caft 
off  his  Authority,and  praftically  bid  Defiance  to  his  Power 
and  Juftice. —  For  inftead  of  immediately  dooming  all  this 
lower  World  to  blacknefs  of  Darknefs  for  ever,  he  has  fent 
his  Son,  his  only  begotten  Son,  from  Heaven,  to  bring  us 
theNews  of  Pardon  andpeace,and  by  his  ownDeath  to  open 
a  Way  for  our  Return  unto  him,  and  to  call  and  invite  us 
to  return. —  And  now  with  a  liberal  Hand  he  {brews  com 
mon  Mercies  all  round  the  World,  among  evil,  unthankful, 
guilty,  Heli-deferving  Pvebels,  and  fills  the  Hearts  of  all 
with  Food  and  Gladnefs ;  and  fends  forth  his  MefTengers 
to  proclaim  it  to  the  Ends  of  the  Earth,  that  it  is  his  \?v  ill, 

G  2  '  that 


84          True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

that  all  his  rebellious  Creatures  lay  down  their  Weapons  of 
Rebellion,  acknowledge  the  Law  by  which  they  {land  con 
demned,  to  be  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  look  to  him  thro* 
Jefus  Chrift  for  Pardon  as  a  free  Girt,  and  thro'  Jefus  Chrift 
return  unto  him,  and  give  up  themfelves  to  him  entirely,  to 
love  him  and  live  to  him,  and  delight  in  him  for  ever. 

And  while  the  World  in  general  make  light  of  all  this, 
and  go  to  their  Farms,  and  to  their  Merchandize,  and  many 
are  enraged  and  cry  out  againil  the  Meflengers  of  Peace, 
and  ftone  fome  and  kill  others;  (Matt.  22.)  that  now  he 
fhould  of  his  own  fovereign  good  rieafuie,  according  to  his 
eternal  Purpofe,  feize  here  and  there  one,  by  his  All-con 
quering  Grace,  and  ftop  them  in  their  Career  to  Hell,  and 
make  them  fee  and  feel  their  Sin  and  Guilt,  and  own  the 
Sentence  juft  by  which  they  ftand  condemned,  and  bring 
them  as  upon  their  Knees  to  look  to  free  Grace  thro*  Jefus 
Chrift  for  a  Pardon,  and  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  to  give  up  them 
felves  for  ever  to  him  :  that  now  he  fhould  receive  them  to 
Favour,  and  put  them  among  his  Children,  and  become 
their  Father,  and  their  God,  in  an  everlafting  Covenant,  and 
undertake  to  teach  and  lead,  to  quicken  and  ftrengthen,  to 
correct  and  comfort,  and  fo  to  hun.be  and  purify  and  fane- 
tify,  a.-.d  fit  them  for  his  heavenly  Kingdom  ;  and  while 
they  are  in  this  World,  to  give  them  all  Things  that  are  beft 
for  them,  and  make  all  Things  work  together  for  their 
Good,  and  finally  bring  them  unto,  r.nd  poffefs  them  of 
eternal  Glory  and  Blelledficfs  in  the  full  Enjoyment  of  him> 
felf  for  ever  : —  For  a  God  of  infinite  Greatmfs  and  Glory, 
to  deal  juft  fo,  with  juft  fuck  Creatures,  is  the  rnoft  amaz 
ing  and  aftonilhing  Grace  -,  and  lays  infinite  Bonds  upon  Be 
lievers  to  love  the  Lord  their  God  wiih  all  their  Hearts, 
and  to  live  to  him  for  ever  ;  and  has  the  greateft  Tendency 

to  animate  them  fo  to  do. And  thus  by  thefe  brief 

Hints  we  have  a  general  View  of  the  additional  Motives  of 
a  true  and  genuine  Love  to  God. 

As  God's  bringing  up  the  Children  of  Ifrael  out  of  Egypt, 
leading  them  thro'  the  Wildernefs,  driving  out  the  Heathen 
from  before  them,  and  giving  them  that  good  Land  which 
flowed  with  Milk  and  Honey,  and  covenanting  to  be  their 
God,  is  ufed  fo  frequently,  by  Mofes  and  the  Prophets* 

throughout 


and  diftmgmjhed from  all  Counterfeits.  8  5 

throughout  all  the  old  Teftament,  as  a  Motive  to  engage 
them  to  Cleave  to  theLord,and  to  him  only  and  entirely  and 
for  ever :  So  God's  fending  his  Son  into  the  World,  to  fave 
his  People  from  their  Sins,  their  fpiritual  Bondage,  together 
with  ail  tiie  fpiritual  and  everlafting  Blefflngs  ot  the  Cove 
nant  of  Grace,  are  continually  ufed  in  the  new  Teftament, 
as  Arguments  to  engage  Believers  not  to  live  to  themfelves, 

but  to  him  that  died  for  them. Only  here  let  thefe 

Things  be  remembred, 

(i.)  That  a  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the  -'ninite  Greatnefs  and 
Glory  of  GOD,  from  whom  ail  Good  comes,  and  a  Senfe  of 
their  own  infinite  Meannefs  and  Unworthinefs,  makes  all 
the  Mercies  they  receive  infinitely  the  more  endearing  and 
engaging.  For  the  Mercies  themf elves  now  appear  unfpeaka* 
bly  \hzgreater,  in  that  they  come  fromfucb  a  God  and  fa 
fucb  Creatures  \  and  the  infinite  Goednefs  of  God  fhines  the 
brighter  in  every  Mercy,  and  the  Freencfs  of  his  Grace  is  the 
more  confpicuous,  on  account  of  which  he  is  infinitely 
amiable.  The  infinite  Greatnefs  and  Glory  of  God  in  gene 
ral  raviihes  the  Heart,  the  infinite  moral  Beauty  of  the  di 
vine  Goodnefs  and  Grace  in  particular  raviihes  the  Heart, 
and  now  th&t  fetch  a  God  fhould  fhewy#o&  Kindneffes  to  fucb 
a  Creature  is  very  affeding.  WTzo  am  /,  0  Lord  God  ?  Ani 
what  is  my  Houfe,  that  thou  baft  brought  me  hitherto  ?  Says 
holy  David — And  is  this  the  Manner  of  Men,  0  Lord  God !  — 
ISofurely. —  Wherefore  thcu  art  great  >  0  Lord  God:  For 
there  is  none  like  tbee,  neither  is  there  any  God  beftdes  thee* 

2  Sam.  7.  18 — 22. God  is  lovel  for  the  KindnefTes  be- 

ftowed  ;  but  he  is  more  loved  for  the  infinite  Beauty  of  that 
<jcodnefs  which  is  difplayed  in  the  beftowment  of  them, 
and  ior  his  being  altogether  fuch  a  one  as  he  is.  So  the 
Queen  of  Sbeba  efteemed  Solomon  for  the  KindnefTes  he 
fhewed  her,  but  primarily  and  much  more  for  his  own  per- 
fonal  Excellencies,  And  his  perfonal  Excellencies  made 
her  efteem  his  Favours  to  her  of  much  greater  Worth.— 
That  a  glorious  and  ever-bleffed  GOD  fhould  treat  Sinners  fp, 
is  infinitely  endearing, — —  Now  thefe  Senfations  which  a 
true  Believer  has,  and  his  Love  to  God  arifing  therefrom, 
muft  be  vaftly  different  from  every  Thing  which  natural 

G  3  Mcu 


86  "True  Religion  delimited        Dis;  I. 

Men  experience,  who  know  not  God,  and  have  no  higher 
Principle  in  them  than  Self-love. 

(2.)  Let  it  alfo  be  remembred,  that  God  defigns,  by  all 
his  Dealings  and  KindnefTes  to  his  People,  to  bring  them 
nearer  to  bimfaf  in  this  World,  and  to  the  everfafting  Enjoy 
ment  of  himfelf  in  the  World  to  come.  He  means  for  the 
prefent  to  humble  them,  and  wean  them  from  the  World,  to 
make  them  more  fpiritually-minded  and  heavenly- minded, 
to  bring  them  to  be  more  acquainted  with  God  and  more 
entirely  to  take  up  their  Reft  and  Contentment  in  Him  ; 
and  therefore  all  Things  are  calculated  by  his  infinite  Wif- 
dcm  and  Goodnefs  to  attain  this  End.  And  this  caufes  all 
the  wife  and  kind  DHHrigs  of  God,  outwardly  in  his  Provi 
dence  and  inwardly  by  his  Spirit,  and  that  both  by  Way  of 
Correction  as  well  as  by  Way  of  Confolation,  to  appear  in 
a  very  affecting  andXengaging  Light  to  true  Believers. — 
While 'they  fee  what  God  is  in  himfelf,  and  his  infinite 
Beauty  in  being  fuch  •,  while  they  fee  ho\v  infinitely  fiiffi- 
cient  he- is  to  be  all  Things  to  them,  and  to  do  all  Things 
for  them,  and  the  Blefiednefs  of  living  wholly  Upon  him 
andrtRiilingv\vho]ly  in 'him  •,  while  they  fee  God  calculat 
ing  all  Things  to"  bring  them  to  him,  and  actually  find  all 
Things  working  thts  Way  -,  their  Obligations  to  love  him 
and  live  to  him  appear  infinitely  binding,  arid  -their  Hearts 

•are  mightily  engaged  and   animated. This  View  of 

Things  make  ail  their  Afflictions  appear  as  gre^t  Mercies  ; 
bfcaufe  they  are  fo  wifely  calculated  to  bring  them  near  to 
•Cbd.—P/tf/.  1-19.  71.  This  View  of  Things  adds  an  infinite 
"Value"  to  all  the  KmdneiTes  of  Gbd?  over  arid  above  what 
they  arc  worth  merely  in  themfelves,  becaufe  they  are  all 

vilely  calculated  to  bring  them  near  to  God.  This  is 
'the  Kernel  of  all  that  -tender-Mercy  and  Loving-Kiridnefs 

;Ch  they  lee  in  Ml  their  Afflictions \  and  in  all  their  Com- 
Ifo'rte'.  -fM.  12.  ro;ii.  Rom.  8.  28.— To  be  brought  near 
to  God, is  w6rth  more  than  all  the  World  ;  there  is  no  Pojr- 
tion  like  God,  no  Comfort  like  that -which  is  to  be  taken 
in.  him  :  He  is  the  godly  Man's  ALL.  Pfal.  73.  25.  Whom 
have  I  jit  -Heaven  but  tbts  ?  And  there  is  nothing  on  Earth  1 
defire -fa/ides  tbee.>  '•  't-  And  now '  that  fuch  a  God  fhould 
tdfefucb  Methods,  vtitii  jujt  furl  a  Creature,  to  bring  him 

to 


,     and  diftinguifhed  from,  all  Counterfeits.  8  7 

to  the  PofTefnon  of  fucb  a  Good?  is  the  moft  amazing  Good- 
^efs«and  the  moft  aftonifhing  Grace.—  Now  here  is  a  Senfe 
of  the  Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature  in  general,  and  a 
•Senie  of  the  moral  Beauty  of  the  divine  Goodnefs  in  parti 
cular,  and*  of  the,  unfpeakable  Mercy  GQ&  fhews  to  them, 
tohich  Mercy,  is  infinitely  magnified  in  their  Account,  from 
the  Value  they  have  for  God,  as  the  Portion  of  their  Souls, 
from  all -which,  their  Love  to  God  takes  its  Rife  :  Where 
by  their-  Love  appears  to  be  exceeding  different  from  any 
Thing  which  natural  Men  experience,  who  neither  know 
God,  nor  relifh  Communion  with  him,  but  are  contrary  to 
Him  in  all  Things  :  And  only  from  Self-love  are  glad  of 
the  good  Things  they  receive  fr^p^God,  which  good 
Things  they  live  upon  and  make  a  Crod  of:  Whether  they 
be  worldly  good  Things,  or  great  Light  and  Comfort  and 
Joy  of  a  religious  Nature. 

(3.)  Let  it  alfo  be  remembred,  that  all  God's  Gifts  to 
his  People  are  fo  many  Talents  beftowed  upon  them  ulti 
mately  to  be  improved  for  God^  whereby  they  are  put  under 
Advantages  to  glorify  God  and  do  Good  in  the  World.  And 
the  more  they  have  of  worldly  Subftance,of  natural  Powers, 
of  acquired  Accomplifhments,  and  of  the  gracious  Influences 
of  the  holy  Spirit,  &c.  the  greater  are  their  Advantages  to 
a<5t  for  God,  to  promote  his  Honour  and  Intereft,  and  to  do 

Good. Now   in  Proportion  as  they  love   God,    in 

the  fame  Proportion  is  his  Honour  and  Intereft,  and  the 
Good  and  Welfare  of  his  Creatures  and  Subjects,  dear  unto 
them. —  The  Intereft  and  Honour  of  God  lies  nearer  to  the 
Hearts  of  his  People,  than  their  Parents,  or  Conforts,  or 
Children,  or  Houies  and  Lands,  yea,  than  their  own  Lives* 
(Luk.  14.  26.) — To  be  under  Advantages  therefore  to  pro 
mote  his  Honour  and  Intereft,  muft,  in  their  Account,  be 

efteemed  an  ineftimable  Priviledge. Hence  they  love 

God  for  all  Things  they  receive  from  Him,  becaufe  by  all 
they  are  put  under  fuch  Advantages  to  live  to  him  and 
ferve  him,  feeking  his  Intereft  and  Honour  and  Glory.  A 
remarkable  Inftance  of  which  we  have  in  Ezra^  that  hearty 
Friend  to  God,  and  to  his  Honour  and  Intereft.  See  Ezr.  7, 
Jr.  27,  28.  compared  with  the  reft  of  the  Chapter. —  Now 
herein  again  their  Love  to  God  for  his  Benefits  is  evidently 

G  4  different; 


8  8  True  Religion  delineated       D I  s .  I. 

different  from  any  Thing  which  natural  Men  experience, 
who  have  no  higher  Principle  than  Self-love,  aad  are  en 
tirely  actuated  by  it. 

And  as  the  Love  of  the  Saint  and  of  the  Hypocrite  thus 
greatly  differ  in  their  Nature  fo  do  they  alfo  diiier  as  great 
ly  in  their  Fruits  and  Effefts.  Ezra  loved  God  greatly  for 
hisKindneffes  to  him,becaufe  thereby  he  was  put  under  Ad 
vantages  to  do  fo  much  for  God's  Glory  and  for  the  Good 
of  his  People.  And  now  fee  how  active  he  is  for  God,, 
and  how  he  exerts  himfelf  to  do  Good,  and  to  reform  every 
Thing  that  was  amifs  among  the  Jews  •,  from  the  eighth 
Chapter  and  on.  While  the  hypocritical  Jews,  who,  no 
doubt,  were  alfo  gij^tly  affected  with  the  Mercy  of  God  in 
their  Deliverance  worn  their  long  Captivity,  were  fo  far 
from  being  active  for  God,  that  they,  not  caring  for  his 
Honour  or  his  Laws,  committed  great  A.bominations. 
Ezr.  9.  i.  So  the  Children  of  Ifrael  at  the  Red-Sea  feemed 
to  be  full  of  Love  to  God,  as  well  as  Mofes  ;  but  as  they 
had  different  Sorts  of  Love,  fo  their  Carnage  did  as  greatly 
differ  afterwards,  for  the  Courfe  of  forty  Years.  And  no 
wonder,for  the  hypocritical  Ifraelites  only  loved  themfelves, 
and  cared  only  for  their  own  Intereft  •,  but  Mofes  lo\  ed 
God,  and  cared  above  all  Things  for  his  Honour. 

Thus  we  fee,  not  only  what  additional  Obligations  Belie 
vers  are  under  to  love  God  with  all  their  Hearts,  but  alfo 
how,  and  in  what  Manner,  they  influence  and  excite  them 

fo  to  do. And  what  I  have  offered  effectually  obviates 

the  common  Plea  of  Formaiifts  and  all  Self-feekers,  That 
all  the  Saints  in  Scripture  are  reprefented  as  loving  God  for  his 
Benefits  •,  whence  they  argue,  that  they  are  right,  and 
their  Religion  genuine,  which  refults  merely  from  Self-love, 
and  the  fear  of  Hell  and  hope  of  Heaven,  or  from  a  conn- 
dent  Perfwafion  that  their  Sins  are  pardoned.—  For  it  is 
evident,  that  true  Saints  do  not  love  God  for  his  Benefits, 
nor  eye.  their  own  Happinefs,  in  the  fame  Manner  that  fuch 

Men  do,  but  in  a  Manner  altogether  different. Saints 

know  the  Gqd  they  love,  and  love  him  primarily  for  what 
he  is  in  himfelf,  and  becaufe  he  is  juft  what  he  is :  But 
Hypocrites  know  not  God,  nor  love  him,  but  are  in  all 
Things  contrary  to  hip,  and  are  only  pleafed  with  the 

falfe 


a nd  dijtinguijbed from  ah  Counterfeits.  89 

falfe  Image  of  God  they  have  framed  in  their  Fancies, 
merely  becaufe  they  think  that  he  loves  them,  and  has  done, 
and  will  do,  great  Things  for  them. —  Saints  are  affected 
with  the  divine  Goodnefs  it  felf  for  the  moral  Beauty  there 
is  in  it  :  But  Hypocrites  are  affeded  only  with  the  Fruits 
aad  Effects  of  divine  Goodnefs  to  them,  as  tending  to  make 
them  happy. —  Saints  love  God  for  his  Benefits,  under  a 
real  Senfe  of  their  infiniteUnworthinefs  of  the  leaft  of  them : 
Bat  fo  it  is  not  with  the  Hypocrites. —  Saints  love  God  for 
all  the  Streams  cf  divine  Goodnefs,  becaufe  they  are  de- 
figned  and  actually  do  lead  them  up  to  God  the  Fountain, 
who  is  the  Portion  of  their  Souls  :  But  Hypocrites  live  up 
on  the  Streams,  difrelifhing  the  Fompain. —  Saints  love 
God  dearly  for  all  his  Gifts,  becaufe  by  them  they  are  put 
under  fuch  Advantages  to  live  to  God,  to  promote  his 
Intereft  and  Honour,  and  to  do  good  itf  the  World  :  But 

Hypocrites  are  confined  within  the  narrow  Circle  Self. 

Saints  Love  to  God  animates  them  to  live  to  God,  and  to 
exert  themfelves  to  promote  his  Honour  and  Intereft,  and 
to  do  all  the  Good  they  can  :  but  the  Hypocrite  after  all 
his  pretended  Love  to  God,  cares  not  what  becomes  of  his 
Intereft  and  Honour,  if  it  may  but  go  well  with  him,  his 
Friends  and  Party.—  So  that  while  true  Saints  love  God 
for  his  Benefits,  they  aft  in  a  gracious  Manner,  conformable 
to  the  Law  of  God,  and  to  the  Reafon  and  Nature  of 
Things  •,  whereas  all  the  Love  of  the  moft  refined  Hypo 
crite  is  merely  the  workings  of  a  natural  Self-love,  in  a 
Manner  diredly  contrary  to  the  Law  of  God,  and  to  the 
Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things  -,  and  is  nothing  but  mere 
Mockery.  Pfal.  78.  34,35,  36,  37.  Zecb.j.&G. 

Thus  we  have  gone  thro'  the  two  fa&general  Heads,  and 
fee  what  is  implied  in  Love  to  God>  and  from  what  Motives 
we  ought  to  love  him.  And  from  the  whole  we  may  learn 
fo  much  of  the  Nature  of  true  Religion,  as  that  with  much 
Evidence  and  Certainty  we  may  conclude, 

FIRST,  Tbat  all  tbat  feeming  Love  to  God  is  Counterfeit* 
ivbifb  arifes  meerly  from  Men's  Corruptions  being  gratified. 
As  when  ambitious  Men  are  by  God's  Providence  raifed 
to  high  Degrees  of  Honour,  and  worldly  Men  are  profper- 
cd  in  all  which  they  put  their  Hands  unto  j  and  herefrom 

the 


90  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

the  one  and  the  other  rejoyce  and  blefs  God,  and  feem 
to  love  him,  and  verily  think  they  are  fincere,™  This  is  all 
Hypocrify.  For  in  truth  they  only  love  their  Corruptions, 
and  are  glad  they,  are  gratified,  And  accordingly  inftead 
of  improving  all  their  Riches  and  Honour  for  God,  to  ad 
vance  his  Intereft  and  Honour  in  the  World,  they  improve 
-all  only  for  themfelves,  to  promote  their  own  Ends  •,  and 
care  not  what  becomes -of  God's-  Honour  and  Intereft  -and 
Kingdom  •,  and  commonly  fuch  Men  fhew  themfelves  the 
greateft  Enemies  to  the  Caufe  of  God  and  to  the  Religion 
of  Chrift.  And  fhould  God  \>\&- touch  all  they*  -have,  they 
would  curfe  him  to  his  Face. 

SECONDLY,  WHnnay  be  equally  certain,  that  all  that 
feeming  Love  to  God  is  Counterfeit^  that  arifes  merely  from  a 
Legal,  Self-righteous  Spirit.  As  when  a  Man,  only  becaufe 
he  is  afraid  of  Hell  and  has  a  Mind  to  be  faved,  fets  him- 
felf  to  repent  and  reform  and  do  Duties,  and  tries  to  love 
God  and  aim  at  his  Glory,  to  the  Intent  that  he  may  make 
fome  Amends  for  paft  Sins  and  recommend  himfelf  to  the 
divine  Favour,  and  fo  to  efcape  Hell  and  obtain  Heaven.— 
And  when  he  has  grown  fo  good,  as  to  have  raifed  Hopes 
of  attaining  his  End,  he  is  ravimed  at  the  Thoughts,  and 
rejoyces,  and  blefles  the  Lord,  and  loves  him. —  It  is  plain, 
all  this  is  Hypocrify.  For  the  Man  in  truth  only  loves 
himfelf,  and  is  concerned  merely  for  his  own  Intereft  ;  but 
does  not  care  at  all  for  God,  his  Glory  or  Honour.  For  if 
there  were  no  Heaven  nor  Hell,  fuch  would  ferve  God  no 
more.  Children:  will  work  for  tl^eir  Parents  without  being 
hired,  becaufe  they  love  them  -,  but  Hirelings  will  not 
ftrike  a  Stroke,  if  thdre  is  no  Money  to'  be  got  •,  becaufe 
they  care  for  nothing  but  their  own  Intereft.  Hence  this 
Sort  of  Hypocrites  are  wont  to  fay,  that  if  they  once  be 
lieved  that  God  had  made  no  Promifes  to  the  beft  they  can 
do,  they  would  never  do  more. —  And  farther,  'tis  plainly 
all  Hypocrify,  for  if  their  Confciences  but  fall  afleep,  fo 
that  they  are  troubled  no  more  with  the  Thoughts  of 
another  World,  they  will  leave  off  their  Duties,  let  down 
their  Watch,  break  all  their  Refolutions,  and  be  as  bad  as 
ever  :  and  hence  their  Dodrine  of  falling  from  Grace  pro 
bably  took  its  Rife, And  their  Hypocrify  is  ftill  more 

evident, 


and  diftingmfoed from  all  Counterfeits.  9! 

evident,  in  that  they  are  commonly  fo  much  concerned  to 
find  out  what  the  lead  Meafure  of  favirig  Grace  is,  and  fo 
ftrenuous  in  pleading  for  great  Abatements  in  the  Law. 
For  from  hence  it  is  plain,  that  all  they  are  after  is  only  to 
get  juft  Grace  enough  to  carry  them  to  Heaven  \  as  a  lazy 
Hireling  that  is  for  doing  but  only  juft  Work  enough  to 
pafs  for  aOay's  Work,that  he  may\get  his  Wages  atNight, 
which  is  all  he  want-s. 

THIRDLY,  We  may  be  a4  certain,  That  all  that  feeming- 
Love  'is  Counterfeit,  which  arifes  merely  from- a  ftreng-Ccnfi- 
dence  which  a  Man  has,  that  his  Sins  are  pardoned^  'and  that 
C'hrifl  loves  him,  and  will  fave  him.  As  when  a  Man  is 
tinder  great  Terrors,  and  has  fearful  AppMtenfions "of  Hell 
and  Damnation,  and  is  ready  even  to  give  up  hirmelf  for 
loft ;  but  fuddenly  great  Light  breaks  into  hts  Mind,  he 
fees  Chrift  with  his  Arms  open  and  nulling,  and -it -may  be 
his  Blood  running,  and  hears  him  as  it  were  'fa/,  Be  of 
good  Chear^  thy  Sins  are  forgiven  theey — I  have  loved  thee  with 
an  ever  Lift  ing  Love^ —  Come  thou-bfcfftd  of  my  Father  ^  inherit 
the  Kingdom  ;—  And  now  he  is  certain  that- his  Sins  are 
pardoned,  and  that  Heaven  is -his,  and;he- is'eVen  ravifh't 
with  Joy,  and  calls  upon  all  to  prai-fe  the  Lord.—  For  all 
this  proceeds  merely  from  Self-love,  and  there- is- no  Love  to 
God  in  it.  For  all  this  Love  arifss  from  his  falfe  Confidence, 
and  not  from  any  true  knowledge  of  -God.  And  com 
monly  fuch  turn  out  as  the  Israelites  did,  who  fang  Gvd*s 
Praife  at  the  Red-Sea^  when  Pharaoh  and  his  ^Hofts  were 
Browned,  and  they  delivered,  and  -their  'Hopes  -of  getting 
to  Canaan  highly  raifed  ;  but  they  fsonforgat  hi?  Works^  and 
rebelled  againft  him,  and  their  Careafes  fell  ^n  the  Wilder- 
nefs.  They  loved  themf elves ^  and  therefore  •  they  rejoyced 
?lt  their  wonderful  Deliverance;  and  they  loved  themfelves, 
and  therefore  they  murmured  three  Days  after,  when  they 
came  to  the  bitterWaters.  Their  Joys  and  theirMurmurings 
proceeded  from  the  very  fame  Principle,  under  different 
Circumilances  •,  but  the  Love  of  God  was  ;not  in  them. 
And  juft  this  is  the  Cafe  here. — And  this  is  commonly  the 
Event,  that  the  Fears  of  Hell  being  now  over,  their  Joys 
gradually  abate,  and  they  grow  more  and  more  fecure,  till 
•after  a  while  they  return:  to  Folly,  as  the  Dog^tb  his  Vomit, 

and 


92  True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  L 


as  the  Sow  that  was  waflied  to  her  wallowing  in  the 
Mire  :  and  fo  are  as  bad  and  fometimes  worfe  than  ever. 
(2  Pet.  2.  20,  2  1,  22.)  —  And  now  they  plead,  that  the  beft 
are  dead  fometimes,  and  that  David  and  Peter  had  their 
Falls,  and  fo  keep  their  Confciences  as  quiet  as  they  can  : 
and  thus  they  live  along  whole  Months  and  Years  together. 

FOURTHLY,  and  laftly,  We  may  alfo  be  certain,  That  all 
that  faming  Love  to  God,  which  arifes  merely  from  the  grati 
fication  of  fpiritual  Pride,  is  Counterfeit.  As  when  Men 
dream  Dreams,  fee  Vifions,  and  hear  Voices,  and  have  Inv 
preflions  and  Revelations,  whereby  they  are  fet  up  in  their 
own  Efteem,  and  in  the  Opinion  of  others,  for  fome  of  the 
moft  peculiar  Favourites  of  Heaven,  and  very  beft  Men  in 
all  the  World  ;  and  hence  they  rejoyce  and  blefs  God  and 
mightily  love  him.  But  in  Truth  they  are  only  ravilh't 
with  Self-conceit,  and  feel  blefledly  to  think  themfelves 
fome  of  the  beft  Men  in  the  World,  and  to  think  they 
fliall  fhortly  fit  at  the  right  Hand  of  Chrift  in  Heaven 
among  the  Apoftles  and  Martyrs,  while  their  Perfecutors 
and  Haters  will  be  burning  in  Hell.  But  they  neither  know 
God  nor  love  him  ;  and  for  the  moft  Part,  by  heretical 
Do&rines,  or  wicked  Lives,  or  both,  are  a  fcandal  to  Reli 
gion.—  Thefe  are  fo  far  from  being  truly  religious,  that 
they  are  tbe  very  'Tares  which  the  Devil  fows.  Matt,  13.  39. 

In  each  of  thefe  Sorts  of  Love  there  are  thefe  three  De- 
fedh  or  Faults.  (  I  .)  They  have  no  true  Knowledge  of  GOD. 
And  fo  (2.)  They  only  love  themfelves.  And  (3.)  Their 
feeming  Love  to  God  arifes  from  a  Miftake.  -  The 
ambitious  and  worldly  Man  thinks  himfelf  very  happy, 
becaufe  he  rifes  in  Honour  andEftate.  —  TheLegalift  thinks, 
that  God  loves  him  and  will  fave  him  for  his  Duties.  —  The 
next  firmly  believes,  that  his  Sins  are  pardoned.  —  And  the 
laft,  that  God  looks  upon  him  one  of  the  beft  Men  in  the 
World.  But  all  are  wofully  miftaken  :  and  when  at  the 
Day  of  Judgment  they  come  to  fee  their  Miftake,  their 
l-ove  to  God  will  vanilh  away,  and  they  turn  everlafting 
Haters  and  Blafphemers  of  the  moft  High.—  And  Another 
Defect  in  thefe  &  all  other  Sorts  of  counterfeit  Love,  is,that 
they  none  of  them  will  ever  make  Men  truly  obedient.  For 
when  Men'*  feeming  Love  to  God  is  nothing  but  Self-love 

in 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  9  3 

in  another  Shape,  all  their  feeming  Obedience  will  in  reality 
be  nothing  but  Self-feeking.  They  may  pretend  to  be  the 
Servants  or  God,  but  will  only  mean  ultimately  to  ferve 

themfelves. 

SECTION     III. 

Concerning  the^  Meafure  of  Love  to  God  re 
quired  in  the  divine  Law, 

1  proceed  now  to  the  next  Thing  propofed,  which  was, 
III.  To  ihew,  what  is  that  Meafure  of  Love  to  God,  which 
the  Law  requires  of  all  Mankind.- — -  And  our  bleffed  Savi 
our  clears  up  this  Point  in  the  moft  plain  and  familiar 
Language.  Thou  Jhall  love  the  Lord  tby  God,  with  all  thy 
Heart,  and  with  all  thy  Soul,  and  with  all  thy  Mind  ;  and  it 
is  added  in  Mark  12.  30.  With  all  thy  Strength,  i.e.  in 
other  Worlds,  we  ought  to  Icve  God  in  a  Meafure  exactly 
proportionable  to  the  Largenefs  of  our  natural  Powers  and 
Faculties.  Which  to  do,  is  all  that  Perfection  which  God 
ever  required  of  any  of  his  Creatures.  * 

When  the  Law  requires  us  to  love  God  with  all  our 
Hearts,  it  either  means,  to  the  utmoft  extent  of  our  natural 

Capacity, 

*  The  Law  runs  thus,  Thou  fiah  Jove  the  Lord  thy  God  with  ALL  thy 
Heart,  &c.  and  thy  Neighbour  AS  thy  f elf .  God  is  to  have  the  highefl 
Degree  of  Love  we  are  capable  of ;  but  a  much  Jefs  Degree  is  due  to 
to  our  felves  and  Neighbours.  So  that  according  to  the  Tenor  of 
the  Law,  our  Love  to  God  is  to  be  greater  and  more  fervent,  than  our 
Love  to  our  felves.  And  therefore  the  Law  does  fuppofe  that  God 
is  worthy  of  our  fupreme  Love  for  what  he  is  in  himfelf,  antecedent 
to  any  ielfifh  Confideration,  from  a  Sight  and  Senfe  of  which  Worthi- 
nefs  our  Love  to  God  is  primarily  to  take  its  Rife.  For  in  the  Na 
ture  of  Things,  it  would  be  impoffible  for  us,  from  Self-love,  to  love 
God  more  than  oarfelves.  —  Or  thus,the  Law  requires  us  to  love  God 
more  than  ourfelves ;  but  in  the  Nature  of  Things  it  is  impoffible  that 

'  merely  from  Self-love  we  mould  love  God  more  than  our  felves  : 
therefore  the  Law  fuppofes  that  there  is  fomething  in  God  to  excite 
our  Love  antecedent  to  any  felfifn  Confideration,  and  that  our  Love 
to  him  is  not  to  proceed  meerly  from  Self-love.  For  otaerwife  the 

-'  Law  requires  us  to  do  that  which  in  its  own  Nature  is  abfolutely  im- 
poiTbie,  - — .And  this  by  the.  Way,  may  ferve  ilili/aitlier  to  coufina 
the  Truth  of  what  has  been  before-  faid. 


94          Irue  Religion  delineated         Dis.  L 

Capacity,  cr  elfe  only  to  the  utmoft  extern  of  our  mcml 
Capacity.  /.  e.  only  fo  much  as  we  are  incline d\o>.  And  then 
the  Icis  we  are  inclined  to  love  God, the  lefs  JLove  is  requir 
ed  ;  and  fo  it  we  have  no  Heart,  no  Inciinacion  to  love 
him,then  no  Love  at  all  is  required.  And  according  t.o  this 
Rule,  the  carnal  Mind  w-hickis  Enmity  againft  God,  is  not 
in  Duty  bound  to  be  fubjecl;  to  the  Law,  neither  indeed  can 
be.  And  where  there  is,  no  Law,  there  is  no  Tranfgrefllon. 
Where  there  is  no  Duty,  required,  there  can  be  no  Sin  com 
mitted.  And  fo  the  vileft  of  Mortals  are  the  freed  from 
Sin,  and  the  lead  to  blame  ;  which  is  the  grofleft  Abfur- 

dity. -When  therefore  the  Law  requires  us  to  love  God 

with/7//  our  Hearts,  it  has  no  Reference  to  our  moral  Incli 
nation,  but  only  to  our  natural  Capacity.  And  indeed  no 
thing  can  be  more  unreaibnable,  than  to  fuppofe,  that  the 
Law  only  requires  us  to  love  God,  fo  far  as  we  have  a  Heart 
and  Difpofition  to  do  fo  •,  for  this  would  leave  us  entirely 
at  Liberty,  to  do  otherwife,  if  we  were  fo  inclined,  and  in 
effect  it  would  make  the  Law  fay,  If  you  feel  inclined  to  love 
God-,  more  or  lefs,  fo  far  'it  is  your  Duty,  but  farther  you  are 
not  bound)  but  are  at  your  Liberty,  i.  e.  the  Law  is  not  bind 
ing,  any  farther  than  you  are  inclined  to  obey  it.  i.  e.  in 
reality  it  is  no  Law,  but  every  Man  is  left  to  do  as  he 
pleafes, —  The  whole  Heart  therefore  does  the  Law  mean 
to  require,  let  our  Temper,  Inclination,  or  Difpofition  be 
what  it  will. 

God  the  great  Author  of  all  Things  has  been  pleafed  to 
create  intelligent  Beings  of  different  Sizes,  fome  of  a  higher 
Rank,  and  fome  of  a  lower,  fome  of  greater  Capacities  and 
fbme  of  lefs.  Some  are  Angels,  and  fome  are-Mem  And 
among  the  Angels  fome  are  of  larger  natural  Powers,  and 
fome  of  {mailer.  So  it  is  among  the  good  Angels,  and  fo  it 
Is  among,  the  evil  Angels.  There  are  Angels  and  Arch 
angels,  that  is,  Beings  of  various  natural  Powers  and  Capa 
cities,  among  the  good  and  bad.  And  fo  it  is  among  Men, 
among  good  and  bad,  there  is  a  very  great  Variety,  fome 
have  larger  Souls  than  others. 

Intelligent  Beings  are  capable  of  a  Degree  of  Knowledge 
and  Love  exactly  proportionable  to  their  natural  Powers. 
Angels  are  capable  pit  a  Degree  of  Knowledge  and  Love 

greater 


and  diftmguijhed-from  all  Counterfeits  g  5 

greater  than  Men  :  And  one  Man  of -a  grcaterDegree  than 
another.  As  they  are  ofdifferentSizes,  of  larger  and  fmaller 
natural  Powers,  ib  their  Capacities  to  know  and  love  are 
forne  greater,  and  fome  Jefs.  So  it  is  among  good  and  bad. 

All  that  PerfeSwn^  which  God  requires  of  any  of  his 
Creatures,  is  a  Meafure  of  Knowledge  and  Love  bearing  an 
exa'ft  Proportion  to  their  natural  Abilities.  Since  God  has  v 
n^nifefted  what  he  is,  in  his  Works,  and  Ways,  and  fmce  he 
is  infinitely  glorious  in  being  what  he  is,  and  has  an  origi-  < 
nal  and  entire  Right  to  his  intelligent  Creatures  •,  therefore 
he  requires  all  Angels  and  Men  to  attend  diligently  to  the 
Difcoveries  which  he  has  made  of  himfelf,  and  learn  what 
he  is,  and  behold  his  Glory,  and  love  him  with  all  their 
Hearts.  This  is  the  Extent  of  what  God  requires  of  the 
higheft  Angel  in  Heaven,  and  this  is  exactly  what  he  re 
quires  of  all  the  Children  of  Men  upon  Earth. 

...The  Law  requires  no  more  than  this  of  Mankind  under 
a  Notion  that  their  natural  Powers  are  leflened  by  the  Fall. 
Whether  we  are  Beings  of  as  large  natural  Powers  as  we 
fhould  have  been",  had  we  never  apoftatized  from  God,  or 
no,  yet  this  is  plain,  we  are  no  where  in  Scripture  blamed 
for  having  no  larger  natural  Powers,  nor  is  any  more  ever 
required  than  all  the  Heart  and  all  the  Soul  and  all  theMind 
and  all  the  Strength.  This  is  evident  thro*  the  whole  Bible. 

And  the  Law  requires  no  lefs  of  Mankind  under  a  No 
tion  that  they  are  turned  Enemies  to  God  and  have  no 
Heart  or  Inclination  to  love  him.  Be  it  fo,  that  Mankind 
are  ever  fo  averfe  to  attend  to  thofe  Manifeftations,  which 
God  has  made  of  himfelf,  and  ever  fo  averfe  to  take  in 
right  Notions  of  God,  and  ever  fo  far  from  a  Difpofiticn  to 
account  him  infinitely  glorious  in  being  what  he  is,  and 
from  an  Inclination  to  love  him  with  ail  their  Hearts  -,  yet 
the  divine  Law  makes  no  Allowances,  no  Abatements,  but 
infills  upon  the  fame,  the  very  fame  it  ever  did.  Thouftialt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  Heart. 

Indeed,  fome  do  dream,  that  the  Law  is  very  much 
abated. —  But  what  faith  the  Scriptures  as  to  this  Point  ? 
Does  the  Word  of  God  teach  us  that  there  is  any  Abate 
ment  made  ?  Where  do  we  read  of  it  ?  Where  is  it  plainly 
aifcrted,  or  in  what  Texts  is  it  implied  ?  Truly  I  know 


nothing 


g6          True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

nothing  like  it  in  all  Bible,  nor  what  Text  of  Scripture 
this  Notion  can  be  built  upor. —  And  befides,  if  the  Law  is 
abated,  when  was  it  abated  ? — Was  it  abated  immediately 
upon  ifdam9*  Fall  ?  Surely  no.  For,  above  two  Thoufand 
Years  after  from  Mount  Sinai  God  declared,  that  he  re 
quired  finiefs  Perfection,  and  threatned  a  Curfe  againft  the 
Man  that  fhould  fail  in  the  leaft  Point.  Exod.  20.  Deut.ij. 
26. — Vv'as  it  abated  upon  Chrift's  ccmir;g  into  the  World  ? 
Surely  no.  For  he  in  the  ftrongeft  Terms  taught  his  Dif- 
ciples  that  it  was  in  full  Force,  and  that  it  was  their  Duty 
to  be  perfectly  holy,  and  that  in  defigned  Oppofition  to 
the  Doctrine  ot  the  Pbarifees,  who  in  'effect  held  that  the 

Law  was  abated.  Matt.  5.  17 — 48. Wras  it  abated 

after  Chrift's  Death  and  Refurrecticn  ?  Surely  no.  For  St. 
Paul  always  taught  that  the  Chriftian  Scheme  of  Religion, 
which  he  preached,  did  not  make  void,  but  rather  eftablifh 
the  Law.  Rom.  3.31.  and  St.  James  infilled  upon  it,  that 
it  muft  not  be  broke  in  any  one  Point.  Jam.  2.  10. — When 
was  it  abated  therefore  ?  Why,  fays  Chrift,  Till  Heaven  and 
Earth  Jball  pafs  away,  one  Jot  or  Tittle  cf  the  Law  Jhall  in 
no  wife  fail.  Mat.  5.  18. — —  And  befides,  if  the  Law  is 
abated,  in  what  Particular,  is  it  abated  ?  And  hew  great 
are  the  Abatements  ? —  Are  there  any  Abatements  made  in 
our  Duty  to  God  ?  Surely  no  •,  for  we  are  {till  required  to 
love  him  with  all  our  Hearts,  and  more  than  this  never  was 
demanded.— Or  are  any  Abatements  made  in  our  Duty  to 
our  fellow- Men  ?  Surely  no.  For  we  are  ftill  required  to 
love  our  Neighbour  as  our  felves,  and  more  than  this  never 
was  enjoined. — Or  is  there  any  Abatement  made  in  the  in 
ternal  Part  of  our  Duty  ?  Surely  no.  For  the  whole  Heart 
is  fti  11  required,  and  more  than  this  never  was  infifted  up 
on. — Or  finally,  is  there  any  Abatement  made  in  the  exter 
nal  Part  of  our  Duty  ?  Surely  no.  For  we  are  ftill  required 
to  be  holy  in  all  Manner  of  Converfation,  as  he  that  has  called 
us  is  Holy.  (  i  Pet.  i.  15. )  And  more  than  this  was  never 
required.  So  that  from  the  whole,  we  have  as  much  Reafon 
to  think,  that  the  Law  requires  finlefi  Perfection  new,  as 
that  ever  it  did.  Yea,  this  Pcint  cannot  be  plainer  than  it 
is  •,  for  the  Law,  in  fact,  is  the  very  fame  it  was  from  the 
Beginning,  Word  for  Word,  without  the  leaft  Alteration. 

fbou 


and  diftmguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  9  7 


love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  Heart  ,  &c. 
And  thy  Neighbour  as  thy  f  elf  .  So  that  if  it  ever  did  require 
fmlefs  Pefedtiorf,  it  docs  now. 

The  higheft  Pitch  of  Holinefs,  the  Saints  in  Heaven  will 
ever  arrive  to,  will  only  be  to  love  God  with  all  their 
Hearts  \  and  exactly  the  very  fame  is  required  of  every 
Man  upon  Earth.  And  it  was  becaufe  St.  Paul  underftood 
the  Law  in  this  Senfe,  that  he  had  always  fuch  a  mean  and 
low  Opinion  of  all  his  Attainments  :  for  while  he  compared 
what  he  was,  with  what  he  ought  to  be,  he  plainly  faw  how 
the  Cafe  flood  :  And  therefore  he  fays,  *fbe  Law  is  fpiri- 
tual,  but  I  am  carnal,  fold  under  Sin.  0  wretched  Man  that 
I  am  !  Rom.  7.  14,  24. 

So  that  upon  the  whole,  this  feems  to  be  the  true  State 
of  the  Cafe  :  As  there  are  various  Capacities  among  all  in 
telligent  Creatures  in  general,  fo  there  are  among  Men  in 
particular,  Souls  of  various  Sizes,  fome  of  larger  natural 
Capacities,  and  fome  of  fmaller.  But  Souls  of  different 
Capacities,  are  capable  of  different  Degrees  of  Love.  A 
Degree  of  Love  exactly  equal  to  the  natural  Capacity  of 
the  Soul,  is  Perfection  :  And  this  is  what  the  Law  requires, 
nor  more,  nor  lefs  :  all  the  Heart,  all  the  Soul,  all  the  Mind, 
all  the  Strength.  The  Saints  and  Angels  in  Heaven  do 
love  God  thus,  and  hence  they  are  perfect  in  Holinefs  ; 
and  fo  far  as  we  fall  ihort  of  this,  we  are  fmful.  This  is 
the  exact  Rule  of  Duty. 

And  now,  this  Law  is  holy,juft,  and  good.  The  Thing 
required  is  in  its  own  Nature  right  and  fit  and  fuitable. 
God  is  worthy  to  be  loved  with  our  whole  Hearts,  and 
this  is  juft  what  is  required.  'Tis  right  we  fhould  have  a 
Degree  of  Love  to  our  felves,  and  'tis  right  we  fhould  love 
our  Neighbours  as  our  f  elves,  but  it  is  fit  we  fhould  love 
God  with  all  our  Hearts.  Confidering  what  he  is,  and  what 
we  be,  it  is  in  its  own  Nature  infinitely  fit  and  right  •,  and 
not  to  do  fo,  infinitely  unfit  and  wrong.  —  Indeed,  God  is 
worthy  of  an  infinitely  greater  Degree  of  Love  than  we  or 
any  of  his  Creatures  are  capable  of.  He  only  is  capable  of 
a  compleat  View  of  his  own  infinite  Glory,  and  of  a  full 
Senfe  of  his  own  infinite  Beauty,  and  of  a  Love  perfectly 
adequate  to  his  own  Lovelinefs,  And  he  does  not  require 

H  or 


98          7 rue  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

or  expect  any  of  his  Creatures  to  love  him,  to  that  Degree 
he  loves  himfelf.  Only  as  he  loves  himfelf  with  all  his 
Heart,  fo  he  requires  and  expects  that  the^  love  him  with 
all  their  Hearts.  And  there  being  the  fame  Reafon  for 
one  as  for  the  other,  the  Law  is  therefore  in  its  own  Nature 
perfectly  right  and  jufl  and  equal. —  Indeed,  had  God  re 
quired  the  moft  exalted  of  his  intelligent  Creatures  to  have 
loved  him  in  the  fame  Degree  that  he  himfelf  does,  then  the 
Thing  required  would  in  its  own  Nature  have  been  abfo- 
lutely  impoffible,  and  what  he  could  have  no  Reafon  to 
expect.  Or  if  he  had  required  the  meaneft  of  his  intelligent 
Creatures  to  have  loved  him  in  the  fame  Degree  that  Ga 
briel  does,  it  would  have  been  a  Thing  naturally  impoflible. 
But  now  he  only  requires  every  one  to  love  him  with  all 
their  Hearts,  this  is  right,  perfectly  right,  juft  and  equal. 
Lefs  than  this  could  not,  in  Juftice,  have  been  required  of 
each  one ;  in  Juftice,  I  mean,  to  the  Deity,  who  ought  to 
have  his  Due  from  each  one,  and  whofe  proper  Right,  the 
Governour  of  the  World,  ought  to  aflert  and  maintain. 

Thus  we  fee  the  Law  is  exactly  upon  a  Level  with  our 
natural  Capacities  •,  it  only  requires  us  to  love  God  with  all 
our  Hearts  :  and  thus  we  fee,  that  the  Law  is  therefore 
perfectly  reafonable,  juft  and  equal.  Deiit.  10.  12.  And 
now,  Ifrael,  what  doth  the  Lord  thy  God  require  of  thee,  but 
to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk  in  all  his  Ways,  and  to  love 
Him,  and  to  ferve  the  Lord  thy  God  with  ALL  thy  Heart* 
and  with  ALL  thy  Soul  ? 

Herice,  as  to  a  natural  Capacity,  all  Mankind  are  capa 
ble  of  a  perfect  Conformity  to  this  Law.  For  the  Law 
requires  of  no  Man  any  more  than  to  love  God  with  all 
bis  Heart.  The  finning  Angels  have  the  fame  natural 
Capacities  now  as  they  had  before  they  fell  •,  they  have  the 
fame  Faculties,  called  the  Under/landing  and  Will ;  they  are 
Hill  the  fame  Beings  as  to  their  natural  Powers.  Once 
they  loved  God  with  all  their  Hearts  •,  and  now  they 
hate  him  with  all  their  Hearts.  Once  they  had  a  great 
Degree  of  Love  ;  now  they  have .  as  great  a  Degree 
of  Hatred.  So  that  they  have  the  fame  natural  Capacities 
now  as  ever.  Their  'Temper  indeed  is  different  ;  but  their 
Capacity  is  the  fame.  And  therefore  as  to  a  natural  Capa 
city* 


and  diftingiiiffied from  all  Counterfeits.  99 

,  they  are  as  capable  of  a  perfect  Conformity  to  the  Law 
of  their  Creator  as  ever  they  were.  So  Adam,  after  his  Fall, 
had  the  fame  Soul  that  he  had  before,  as  to  its  natural  Ca 
pacities^  tho'  of  a  very  different  Temper.  And  therefore 
in  that  Refpect,  was  as  capable  of  a  perfect  Conformity  to 
this  Law,  as  ever. —  And  it's  plainly  theCafe,  that  all  Man 
kind,  as  to  their  natural  Capacities,  are  capable  of  a  perfect 
Conformity  to  the  Law,  from  this^  that  wherr  Sinners  are 
converted  they  have  no  new  natural  Faculties,  tho'  they 
have  a  iwv  Temper.  And  when  they  come  to  love  God 
with  ail  their  Hearts  in  Heaven,  frill  they  will  have  the 
fame  Hearts,  as  to  their  natural  Faculties,  and  may  in  this 
Refpect  be  juftly  looked  upon  as  the  very  Tame  Beings. 
In  this  Senfe,  Paul  was  the  fame  Man  when  he  hated  and 
perfecuted  Chrift,  as  when  he  loved  him  and  died  for  him  : 
and  that  fame  Heart  that  was  once  fo  full  of  Malice,  is  now 
as  full  of  Love  :  So  that,  a$  to  his  natural  Capacities,  he 
was  as  capable  of  a  perfect  Conformity  to  this  Law,  when 

he  was  a  Perfecutor,  as  he  is  now  in  Heaven. When 

therefore  Men  cry  out  againft  the  holy  Law  of  God,  which 
requires  us  only  to  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts^  and  fay, 
«c  It  is  not  juft  for  God  to  require  more  than  we  can  do, 
ic  and  then  threaten  to  damn  us  for  not  doing,"  they 
ought  to  flay  a  while  and  confider  what  they  fay,  and  tell 
what  they  mean  by  their  CAN  DO  ;  for  it  is  plain,  that; 
the  Law  is  exactly  upon  a  Level  with  our  natural  Capaci 
ties,  and  that  in  this  Refpect  we  we  fully  capable  of  a  per 
fect  Conformity  thereto.  And  it  will  be  impoflible  for  us 
to  excufe  our  felves  by  an  Inability  arifmg  from  any  other 
Quarter  \  as  will  prefently  appear.  For  to  return, 

From  what  has  been  faid  we  may  learn,  that  there  can 
be  nothing  to  render  it,  in  any  Meafure,  a  hard  and  difficult 
Thing,  to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts,  but  our  being 
deftitute  of  a  right  Temper  of  Mind,  and  having  a  Temper 
that  is  wrong  :  and  that  therefore  we  are  perfectly  inexcufa- 
bk^  and  altogether  and  wholly  to  blame  ^  that  we  do  not. 

OBJ.  But  I  do  not  knowGod  -9  how  therefore  can  Hove  him  ? 

ANS.  Were  you  of  a  right  Temper,  it  would  be  your 
Nature^  above  all  Things,  to  attend  to  thofe  Difcoveries, 
which  he  has  made  of  himfelf,  in  his  Works  and  in  his 

H  2  Word; 


ioo         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

Word ;  you  would  fearch  for  the  Knowledge  of  him  as 
Men  fearch  for  Silver,  and  as  they  dig  for  hid  Treafure  : 
And  were  you  of  a  right  'Temper ,  it  would  be  natural^  to 
take  in  that  very  Reprefentation  which  God  has  made 
of  himfelf. —  And  now  was  it  but  your  Nature,  to  attend, 
with  all  your  Heart,  to  the  Difcoveries  which  God  has 
made  of  himfelf  ±  and  your  Nature,to  take  in  right  Notions 
of  him,  it  would  be  impoflible,  but  that  you  ihould  know 
what  God  is  :  becaufe  he  has  afted  out  all  his  Perfections 
fo  much  to  the  Life,  and  exhibited  fuch  an  exaft  Image  of 
himfelf.  The  Works  of  Creation  and  Redemption,  and  all 
his  Condud  as  moral  Governour  of  the  World,  mew  juft 
what  a  kind  of  Being  he  is.  He  has  difcovered  his  infinite 
Underftanding  and  almighty  Power,  and  he  has  fhewn  the 
Temper  of  his  Heart,  and  all  in  fo  plain  a  Manner,  that 
were  it  your  Nature  to  attend  and  confider  and  take  in 
right  Notions,  it  is  quite  impoffible,  but  that  you  lliould 
know  and  fee  plainly  what  God  is. 

OBJ.  But  if  I  have  right  Notions  of  what  God  is,  yet  1 
cannot  fee  his  Glory  and  Beauty ,  in  being  fuch  •,  how  therefor* 
can  I  love  him  ? 

ANS.  Were  you  of  a  rightTemperjt  would  be  your  Nature 
to  account  him  infinitely  glorious  in  being  what  he  is.  As 
it  is  the  Nature  of  an  ambitious  Man  to  fee  a  Glory  in 
Applaufe,  and  of  a  worldly  Man  to  fee  a  Glory  in  the 
Things  of  the  World  :  So  it  would  be  your  Nature,  to  fee 
a  Glory  in  God.  For  what  fuits  our  Hearts,  naturally  ap 
pears  excellent  in  our  Eyes.  (Job.  8.  42,  47.) 

OBJ.  But  I  feel  that  I  cannot  love  him  •,  how  therefore  am 
I  wholly  to  Blame  ? 

ANS.  The  Fault  is  in  him,  or  in  you.  Either  he  is  not 
lovely,  or  elfe  you  are  of  a  very  bad  Temper  :  but  he  is 
Infinitely  lovely  ;  and  therefore  it  is  only  owing  to  the  bad 
Temper  of  your  Heart,  and  to  your  being  deftitute  of  a 
right  Temper,  that  you  cannot  love  him  -,  and  you  there 
fore  are  wholly  to  Blame.  Indeed  you  could  not  but  love 
him,  were  you  not  a  very  fordid  Wretch. 

OBJ.  But  to  love.  God,or  to  have  any  Difpojition  to  love  him, 
is  a  Thing  SUPERNATURAL,  clean  beyond  the  Powers  of 
Nature  improved  to  the  utmofl  :  hew  can  I  therefore  be  wholly 
to  Blame  ?  ANS. 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits,   i  o  r 

ANS.  It  is  a  Thing  fupernatwal,  you  fay  -,  i.  e.  in  other 
Words,  you  have  no  Heart  to  it,  nor  the  leaft  Inclination 
that  Way,  nor  is  there  any  Thing  in  your  Temper  to  work 
upon  by  Motives  to  bring  you  to  it :  and  now  becaufe  you 
are  fo  very  bad  a  Creature,  therefore  you  are  not  at  all  to 
Blame.  This  is  your  Argument.  But  can  you  think  that 
there  is  any  Force  in  it  ?  What  !  Are  moral  Agents,  the 
lefs  to  blame,  the  worfe  they  grow  ?  And  are  God's  Laws 
no  longer  binding,  than  while  his  Subjects  are  difpofed  to 
obey  them  ? 

OBJ.  But  after  all  I '  muft  needs  reply,  as  Nicodenjus  in 
another  Cafe,  How  can  thefe  Things  be  ? 

ANS.  Why  did  not  the  Jews  love  their  Prophets,  and 
love  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles  ?  What  was  it  owing  to  ? 
And  where  did  the  Blame  lie  ?  They  were  acquainted  with 
them,  heard  them  talk  and  preach,  and  faw  their  Conduct, 
and  could  not  but  plainly  perceive  their  Temper,  and  know 
what  Sort  of  a  Difpofition  they  were  of,  and  what  Sort  of 
Men  they  were.  And  yet  they  did  not  like  them,  but  they 
hated  them,  they  belied  them,  flandered  and  reproached 
them,  and  put  them  to  Death.     And  now  what  was  the 
Matter  ?  What  was  the  Caufe  of  all  this  ? —  Were  not 
their  Prophets,  and  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles  indeed  lovely 
and  worthy  of  their  hearty  Efteem  ?  Did  not  all  that  they 
faid  and  did,  manifeft  them  to  be  fo  ?  Why  then  did  they 
not  love  them  ?  Was  it  not  wholly  owing  to  their  not 
having  a  right  Temper  of  Mind,  and  to  their  being  of  fo 
bad  a  Difpofition  ?  And  were  they  not  wholly  toBlame  ? — 
They  might  fay  of  Chrift,  That  they  could  fee  no  Form  nor 
Comelinefs  in  him,wherefore  they/hould  dejire  him  :  And  where 
no  Beauty  is  feen,  it  is  impoflible  there  fhould  be  any  Love. 
But  why  did  not  he  appear  moft  amiable  in  their  Eyes  ? 
And  why  were  their  Hearts  not  ravifh'd  with  his  Beauty  ? 
His  Difciples  loved  him,  and  Martha  and  Mary  and  Laza 
rus  loved  him,  and  why  did  not  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees 
love  him  as  much  ?  Why,  becaufe  his  Perfon  and  Doc 
trines  did  not  fuit  them,  and  were  not  agreeable  to  the 
Temper  of  their  Hearts.    The  bad  Temper  of  their  Hearts 
made  him  appear  odious  in  their  Eyes,  and  was  the  Caufe 
of  all  their  Ill-will  towards  him.   And  now,  were  they 

H  3 


IO2         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

to  blame  for  this  bad  Temper,  and  for  all  this  their  bad 
Peelings,  and  bad  Carriage  towards  Chrift  thence  arifmg  ? 
Yes,furely,  if  ever  any  Men  were  to  blame  for  any  Thing. — 
And  now  if  God  the  Father  had  been  in  the  fame  Circum- 
ftances  asGod  the  Son  was  then  in, he  would  not  have  been 
loved  a  Jot  more  or  treated  any  Whit  better  than  he  was. 
Indeed  it  was  that  Image  and  Refemblance  of  the  infinitely 
glorious  and  blefled  God,  which  was  to  be  feen  in  their 
Prophets,  in  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles,  which  was  the  very 
Thing  they  hated  them  for.  Therefore  Chrift  fays, 
He  that  bateth  me^  hatetb  my  Father  alfo. —  But  now  have 
they  both  feen  and  hated*  both  me  and  my  Father.  (  Joh.  15. 
23,  24.)  And  Chrift  attributes  it  entirely  to  their  want  of 
a. right  Temper,  and  to  the  bad  Difpofition  of  their  Hearts, 
that  they  did  not  love  him  &  love  hisDoclrines.  If  God  were 
ycur  Father •,  you  would  love  me.  (  Joh.  8.  42.  )  He  that  is  of 
God  (of  aGod-likeTemper)  hear eth  God's  Words :  ye  therefore 
hear  them  not.,  becaufe ye  are  not  of  God.  (  $.  47. )  In  Truth, 
the  Bottom  of  all  your  Enmity  is,  that  you  are  of  your  Fa 
ther  the  Devil,  i.  e.  of  juft  fuch  a  Temper  as  he.  ( $.  44. ) 
And  now,  what  think  you,  when  Chrift  comes  in  flaming 
Fire,  to  take  Vengeance  on  an  ungodly  World,  will  he 
blame  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees  for  not  loving  him  with 
all  their  Hearts,  or  no  ?  Or  will  he  excufe  the  Matter,  and 
fay  on  their  Behalf,  They  could  fee  no  Form  norComelinefs  in 
me^  I  appeared  very  odious  to  them^  they  could  not  love  me, 
they  could  not  but  hate  me,  and  no  Man  is  to  blame  for  not 
doing  more  than  he  CAN? 

From  the  whole  it  is  plain,  that  Mankind  are  to  blame, 
wholly  to  blame,  and  perfectly  inexcufable,  for  their  not 
having  right  Apprehenlions  of  God,  and  for  their  not  hav 
ing  a  Senfe  of  his  Glory  in  being  what  he  is,  and  for  their 
not  loving  him  with  all  their  Hearts  •,  becaufe  all  is  owing 
meerly  to  their  want  of  a  right  Temper,  and  to  the  bad 
Difpofition  of  their  Hearts. 

Indeed,  if  we  were  altogether  of  fuch  a  Temper,  Frame 
andDifpoihion  of  Heart  as  we  ought  to  be,  it  would  be  al 
together  as  eafy  and  natural  to  loveGod  with  all  ourHearts, 
as  it  is  for  the  moft  dutifulChild  to  love  a  tender  and  valu 
able  Parent,  For  God  is  really  infinitely  amiable  5  and  were 

we 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits  103 

weoffucha  Temper,  he  would  appear  fo  in  our  Eyes ; 
and  did  he  appear  Ib  in  ourEyes,we  could  not  but  love  him 
with  all  ourHearts,&  delight  in  him  with  all  ourSouls  j  and 
it  would  be  moft  eafy  &  natural  fo  to  do,  For  noMan  ever 
found  anyDifficultyin  loving  that  which  appears  very  amia 
ble  in  hisEyes.  For  the  Proof  of  which  I  appeal  to  theExpe- 
rience  of  allManl&nd. — And  now, why  does  notGod  appear 
infinitely  amiable  inourEyes  ?  Is  it  becaufe  he  has  not  clearly 
revealed  what  he  z'j,  in  his  Works  and  in  hisWord  ?  Surely 
no.  For  the  Revelation  is  plain  enough.  Is  it  becaufe  he 
is  not  infinitely  amiable  in  being  what  he  is  ?  Surely  no. 
For  all  Heaven  are  ravifhed  with  his  infinite  Beauty.  What 
is  it  then  that  makes  us  blind  to  the  infinite  Excellency  of 
the  divine  Nature  ?  Why,  it  can  be  owing  to  nothing,but 
to  a  bad  Temper  of  Mind  in  us,  and  to  our  not  being  of 
fuch  a  Difpofition  as  we  ought  to  be.  For  I  appeal  to  the 
Experience  of  all  Mankind,  whether  thofe  Perfons  and 
Things,  which  fuit  the  Temper  of  their  Hearts,  do  not 
naturally  appear  amiable  in  their  Eyes. —  And  certainly  if 
God  does  not  fuit  the  Temper  of  our  Hearts,  it  is  not 
owing  to  any  Fault  in  him,  but  the  Fault  muft  be  wholly 
in  our  felves.  If  the  Temper  and  Difpofition  of  God  (/.  e, 
his  moral  Perfections, )  be  not  agreeable  to  our  Temper 
and  Difpofition,  moft  certainly  our  Temper  and  Difpofition 
is  very  wrong.  If  God  were  your  Father ',  ye  would  love  me : 
but  ye  are  of  your  Father  the  Devil,  therefore  you  hate  me. 
(Joh.  8. 42, 44,)  /.  e.  "  If  you  were  of  a  Temper  like  God, 
ye  would  love  me,  but  being  of  a  contrary  Temper,  hence 
you  hate  me.  If  you  were  of  a  right  Temper,  I  fhould 
appear  amiable  unto  you  •,  and  it  is  wholly  owing  to  your 
bad  Temper,  that  I  appear  other  wife.  If  ye  were  Abraham*  s 
Children*  ye  would  do  the  Works  of  Abraham"  (  tf.  39. ) 

OBJ.  But  be  it  foy  yet  I  cannot  help  being  of  fuch  a  'Temper 
as  I  am  of  ^  how  therefore  am  I  wholly  to  Blame  ? 

ANS.  You  have  as  much  Power  to  help  being  of  fuch 
a  Temper,  as  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees  had  j  but  Chrift 
judged  them  to  be  wholly  to  Blame,  and  altogether  inex- 
cufable.  They  could  not  like  Chrift  or  his  Doctrine  j  Xe 
CJNNO?  bear  my  Word,  fays  Chrift.  (  f.  43. )  but  their 
CANNOT*  their  Inability  was  noExcufe  to  them  in  Chrift's 

H  4  Account , 


104       True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

Account  :  Becaufe  all  their  Inability,  he  plainly  faw,  arofe 
from  their  bad  Temper,  and  their  want  of  a  good  Difpofi- 
tion.  And  altho'  they  had  no  more  Power  to  help  being 
of  fach  a  Temper  than  you  have,  yet  he  judged  them 
wholly  to  blame,  and  altogether  inexcufable.  (Job.  8.  33 — 
47.  Job.  15.  22 — 25.)  And  now  we  know,  that  bis  Judg 
ment  is  according  to  'Truth. But  in  order  to  help  you 

to  fee  into  the  Reafon  of  the  Thing,  I  defire  you  ferioufly 
and  impartially  to  confider, 

i .  That  Sinners  are  free  and  voluntary  in  tbeir  bad  Temper* 
A  wicked  World  have  difcovered  a  very  ftrong  Difpofition 
to  hate  God,  even  from  the  Beginning.  And  the  Jewijh 
Nation,  God's  own  peculiar  People,  of  whom,  if  of  any, 
we  might  hope  for  better  Things,  were  fo  averfe  to  God 
and  his  Ways,  that  they  hated  and  murdered  the  Meflen- 
gers  which  he  fent  to  reclaim  them,  and  at  laft  even  mur 
dered  God's  own  Son. —  And  now,  whence  was  all  this  ? 
Why,  from  the  exceeding  bad  and  wicked  Temper  of  their 
Hearts,  fbey  have  bated  me  without  a  Caufe.  Joh.  15.  25. — 
But  did  any  Body  force  them  to  be  of  fach  a  bad  Temper  ? 

Surely  no  •,  they  were  hearty  in  it. Were  they  of  fuch 

a  bad  Temper  againft  tbeir  Wills  ?  Surely  no  -,  Their  Wills, 
their  Hearts  were  in  it.  Yea,  they  loved  their  bad  Temper, 
and  loved  to  gratify  it  •,  and  hence  were  mightily  pleafed 
with  their  falfe  Prophets,  becaufe  they  always  prophefied 
in  their  Favour,  and  fuited  and  gratified  their  Difpofiticn. 
And  they  bated  whatfoever  was  difagreaUe  to  their  bad 
Temper,  and  tended  to  crofs  it  -,  and  hence  were  they  fo 
enraged  at  the  preaching  and  the  Perfons  of  their  Prophets, 
of  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles.  So  that  they  were  manifeftly 
voluntary  and  hearty  in  their  bad  Temper.  We  have  loved 
Strangers  and  after  them  we  WILL  go.  Jer.  2.25.  But  as 
'for  the  Word  which  thou  baft  fpoken  unto  us  in  the  Name  of 
the  Lord,  we  WILL  NOT  hearken  unto  tbee.  Jer.  44.  16. 
And  the  Lord  God  of  their  Fathers  fent  to  them  by  his  Mcffen- 
gers,rifmg  up  betimes,  and  fending  -9  becaufe  he  had  Compaffwn 
en  his  People,  and  on  his  Dwelling-Place  :  but  they  me  eked 
the  Mejfengers  of  God,  and  defpifed  bis  Words,  and  mifufcd  his 
Prophets,  &c.  2  Cron.  36.  15,  16.— —  And  fo  all  wicked 
Mem  are  as  voluntary  in  their  bad  Temper  as  they  were. 

The 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   105 

The  Temper  of  the  Mind  is  nothing  but  the  habitual  Incli 
nation  of  the  Heart.  But  an  involuntary  Inclination  of  the 
Heart  is  a  Contradiction.  And  the  ftronger  any  Inclination 
is,the  more  full  and  free  the  Heart  andSoul  is  intheThmg. 
Hence  the  bad  Temper  or  the  habitual  bad  Inclination  of 
the  Devil  is  at  the  fartheft  Diftance  from  any  Compulfion ; 
he  is  moil  perfectly  free  and  hearty  in  it.  And  all  finful 
Creatures  being  thus  voluntary,  free  and  hearty  in  the  bad 
Temper  of  theirMinds  -,  or  in  other  Words,  the  bad  Tem 
per  of  the  Mind  being  nothing  but  the  habitual  Inclination 
of  the  Heart ,  hence  all  muft  be  to  Blame  in  a  Degree  equal 
to  the  Strength  of  their  bad  Inclination. —  In  a  Word,  if 
we  were  continually  forced  to  be  of  fuch  a  bad  Temper, 
entirely  againft  our  Wills,  then  we  fhould  not  be  to  Blame  ; 
for  it  would  not  be  at  all  the  Temper  of  our  Hearts :  but  fo 
long  as  our  bad  Temper  is  nothing  elfe  but  the  habitual 
Frame,  Difpofition  and  Inclination  of  our  OWN  HEARTS, 
without  any  Manner  of  Compulfion,  we  are  perfectly 
withoutExcufe,  and  that  whether  we  can  help  being  of  fuch 
a  Temper,  or  no.  For, 

2.  If  a  finful  Creature's  not  being  able  to  help  his  being  of 
a  bad  Temper ',  does  in  the  leafl  free  him  fromBlame  ;  then  the 
more  vile  and  finful  any  Creature  grows  ^  the  lefs  toBlame  will 
he  be :  Becaufe  the  more  vile  and  finful  anyCreature  grows, 
the  lefs  able  is  he  to  help  his  being  of  fo  bad  a  Frame  of 
Heart. —  Thus,  if  a  Man  feels  a  bad  Spirit  towards  one  of 
.his  Neighbour's  creeping  into  his  Heart,perhaps  if  he  im 
mediately  refifts  it,  he  may  be  able  eafily  to  overcome  and 
fupprefs  it  ;  but  if  he  gives  Way  to  it,  and  fuffers  it  to 
take  ftrong  hold  of  his  Heart  •,  if  he  cherifhes  it  until  it 
grows  up  into  a  fettled  Enmity,  and  keeps  it  in  his  Heart 
for  twenty  Years,  feeking  all  Opportunities  to  gratify  it,by 
backbiting,  defaming,  &c.  it  will  now,  perhaps,  be  clean 
out  of  his  Power  to  get  rid  of  it,  and  effectually  root  it 
out  of  hisHeart.  It  will  at  leaft  be  a  very  difHcultThing.— 
Now  the  Man  is  talked  to,  and  blamed  for  backbiting  and 
defaming  his  Neighbour,  Time  after  Time,  and  is  urged 
to  love  his  Neighbour .  as  himfelf,  but  he  fays,  he  cannot 
love  him. —  But  why  can't  you  ?  For  otherMen  love  him. — 
Why  he  appears  in  my  Eyes  the  fnoft  odious  and  hateful  Man  in 

the 


lo6          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

the  World. Yes,  but  that  is  owing  to  your  own  bad 

Temper. —  Well^  but  I  can't  help  my  Temper ',  and  therefore 

I  am  not  to  Blame. Now,  it  is  plain  in  this  Cafe,  how 

weak  the  Man's  PJea  is  •,  and  even  common  Senfe  will 
teach  all  Mankind  to  judge  him  the  more  vile  and  blame 
worthy,  by  how  much  the  more  his  Grudge  is  fettled  and 
rooted.  And  yet  the  more  fettled  and  rooted  it  is,  the 

more  unable  is  he  to  get  rid  of  it. And  jufb  fo  it  is  here. 

Suppofe  a  Creature  loved  God  with  all  his  Heart,  but  after 
a  while  begins  to  feel  his  Love  abate,  and  an  Averfion  to 
God  fecretly  creeping  into  his  Soul  •,  now  perhaps  he  might 
eafily  fupprefs  arid  overcome  it.  But  if  he  gives  Way  to 
it,  until  he  lofes  all  Senfe  of  God's  Glory,  and  fettles  into 
a  State  of  Enmity  againft  him,  it  may  be  quite  impofTible 
ever  to  recover  himfelf.  And  yet  he  is  not  the  lefs,  but 

the  more  vile,  and  fo  the  more  blame- worthy. If  then 

we  are  fo  averfe  to  God,  that  we  cannot  love  him  -9  and  if 
our  bad  Temper  is  fo  ftrong,  fo  fettled  and  rooted,  that  we 
cannot  get  rid  of  it ;  this  is  fo  far  from  being  Matter  of 
Excufe  for  us,  that  it  renders  us  fo  much  the  more  vile, 
guilty  and  Hell-deferving.  For  to  fuppofe  that  our  Ina 
bility  in  this  Cafe  extenuates  our  Fault,  our  Inability  which 
increafes  in  Proportion  to  our  Badnefs,  is  to  fuppofe  that 
the  worfe  any  Sinner  grows,  the  lefs  to  Blame  he  is.  Than 
which,  nothing  can  be  more  abfurd. 

OBJ.  But  I  was  brought  into  this  State  by  Adam's  Fall. 

ANS.  Let  it  be  by  Adam's  Fall,  or  how  it  will  ;  yet 
if  you  are  an  Enemy  to  the  infinitely  glorious  God  your 
Maker,  and  that  voluntarily  •,  you  are  infinitely  to  Blame, 
and  without  Excufe.  For  nothing  can  make  it  right  for  a 
Creature  to  be  a  voluntary  Enemy  to  his  glorious  Creator, 
or  pofiibly  cxcufe  fuch  a  Crime.  It  is  in  its  own  Nature 
infinitely  Wrong ;  there  is  nothing  therefore  to  be  faid  ; ' 
you  ftand  guilty  before  God. —  It  is  in  vain  to  make  this, 
or  any  other  Pleas,  fo  long  as  we  are,  what  we  are  not  by 
Compulfion,  but  voluntarily.  And  it  is  in  vain  to  pretend 
that  we  are  not  voluntary  in  our  Corruptions,  when  they 
are  nothing  elfe,  but  the  free,  fpontaneous  Inclinations  of 
our  own  Hearts.  Since  this  is  the  Cafe,  every  Mouth  will 
be  flopped^  and  all  the  World  beceme  guilty  before  God?  fooner 
or  later.  Thus 


and  dtftmguifoed  from  all  Counterfeits.  107 

Thus  we  fee,  that  as  to  a  natural  Capacity  all  Mankind 
are  capable  of  a  perfed  Conformity  to  God's  Law,  which  re 
quires  us  only  to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts  \  and  that 
all  our  Inability  arifes  mcerly  from  the  bad  Temper  of  cur 
Hearts,  and  our  want  of  a  good  Difpofition  j  and  that 
therefore  we  are  wholly  to  blame  and  altogether  inexcufable. 
Our  Impotency,  in  one  Word,  is  not  natural^  but  moral^ 
and  therefore  inftead  of  extenuating^  does  magnify  and  in- 
hance  our  Fault.  The  more  unable  to  love  God  we  are,  the 
more  be  we  to  Blame.  Even  as  it  was  with  the  Jews,  the 
greater  Contrariety  there  was  in  their  Hearts,  to  their  Pro 
phets,  to  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles,  the  more  vile  and  blame 
worthy  were  they.  *  And  in  this  Light  do  the  Scriptures 
conftantly  view  the  Cafe,  There  is  not  one  Tittle  in  the 
Old  Teftament  or  in  the  New,  in  the  Law  or  in  the  Gof- 
pcl,  that  gives  the  leaft  Intimation  of  any  Deficiency  in  our 
natural  Faculties.  The  Law  requires  no  more  than  ALL 
our  Hearts,  and  never  blames  us  for  not  having  larger  na 
tural  Capacities.  The  Gofpel  aims  to  recover  us  to  love 
God  ONLY  with  ALL  our  Hearts,  but  makes  no  Provi- 
iion  for  our  having  any  new  natural  Capacity.  As  to  our 

natural 

*  OBJ.  But  fays  a  fecure  Sinner,  Surely  there  is  fto  Contrariety  in  myHeart 
to  God,  I  never  hated  God  in  my  Life,  I  always  lo<ued  him. 

ANS.  The  Scribes  and  Pharifees  verily  thought  that  they  loved  God,  and 
that  if  they  had  lived  in  the  Days  of  their  Fathers,  they  would  not 
have  put  the  Prophets  to  Death.  They  were  altogether  infenfible 
of  the  perfect  Contrariety  of  their  Hearts  to  the  divine  Nature.  And 
whence  was  it  ?  Why,  they  had  wrong  Notions  of  the  divine  Being, 
and  they  loved  that  falfe  Image  which  they  had  framed  in  their  own 
Fancies.  And  fo  they  had  wrong  Notions  of  the  Prophets  which 
their  Fathers  hated  and  murdered,  and  hence  imagined  that  they 
mould  have  loved  them.  But  they  faw  a  little  what  a  Temper  and 
Difpofition  Chrift  was  of,  and  him  they  hated  with  a  perfeft  Hatred. 
So  there  are  Multitudes  of  fecure  Sinners  and  felf-dcceived  Hypocrites, 
who  verily  think  they  love  God,  neverthelefs  as  foon  as  ever  they  open 
their  Eyes  in  Eternity,  and  fee  juft  what  God  is,  their  Love  will 
vanilh,  and  their  Enmity  break  out  and  exert  it  felf  to  Perfection.  So 
that  the  Reafon  Sinners  fee  not  their  Contrariety  to  the  divine  Na 
ture,  is  their  not  feeing  what  God  is. Itmuftbefo.  For  a 

finful  Nature  and  an  holy  Nature  are  diametrically  oppofite.  So  muck 
as  there  is  of  a  fmfulDifpofition  in  theHeart,fo  much  of  Contrariety  is 
there  to  the  divine  Nature.  If  therefore  we  are  not  fenfible  of  this 
Contrariety,  it  can  be  owing  to  nothing  but  our  Ignorance  of  God,  or 
1  not  believing  him  to  be  what  he  really  is,  Rtm.  7, 8, 9. 


io8          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

natural  Capacities,  all  is  well.  It  is  in  our  Temper,  in  the 
Frame  and  Difpofition  of  our  Hearts,  that  the  Seat  of  all 
our  Sinfulnefs  lies.  Ezek.  12.  2.  Son  of 'Man,  tbou  dwdlejt 
in  the  midft  of  a  rebellious  Houfe,  which  have  Eyes  to  fee,  and 
fee  not)  they  have  Ears  to  hear^  and  hear  not :  for  they  are 
a  REBELLIOUS  Houfe.  This  is  the  Bottom  of  the  Bufi- 
nefs.  We  have  Eyes  to  fee,  and  Ears  to  hear,  and  his 
Glory  mines  all  around  us,  in  the  Heavens  and  in  the 
Earth,  in  his  Word  and  in  his  Ways ;  and  his  Name  is 
proclaimed  in  our  Ears  •,  and  there  is  nothing  hinders  our 
feeing  and  hearing,  but  that  we  are  rebellious  Creatures. 
Our  Contrariety  to  God  makes  us  blind  to  the  Beauty  of 
the  divine  Nature,  and  deaf  to  all  his  Commands,  Counfels, 
Calls  and  Invitations.  We  might  know  God,  if  we  had  a 
Heart  to  know  him  •,  and  love  God,  if  we  had  a  Heart 
to  love  him.  It  is  nothing  but  our  bad  Temper  and 
being  deftitute  of  a  right  Difpofition.  that  makes  us  fpiri- 
tually  blind  and  fpiritually  dead.  If  this  Heart  of  Stone 
was  but  away,  and  a  Heart  of  Flejh  was  but  in  us,  all 
would  be  well.  We  mould  be  able  enough  to  fee  and  hear 
and  underftand  and  know  divine  Things  •,  and  fhould  be 
ravifhed  with  their  Beauty  •,  and  it  would  be  mod  natural 
and  eafy  to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts. 

And  hence  it  is  mod  evident,that  the  fupremeGovernour 
of  the  World  has  not  the  leaft  Ground  or  Reafon  to  abate 
his  Law,  or  to  reverfe  the  Threatning ;  nor  have  a  rebelli 
ous  World  the  leaft  Ground  or  Reafon  to  charge  God  with 
Cruelty,  and  fay,  "  It  is  not  juft,  that  he  fhould  require 
"  more  than  we  can  do^  and  threaten  to  damn  us  for  not 
"  doing."  For,  from  what  has  been  faid,  it  is  manifeft 
that  the  Law  is  holy^juft  and  good.  And  that  there  is  no 
thing  in  the  Way  of  our  perfect  Conformity  to  it,  but  our 
own  Wickednefs,  in  which  we  are  free  and  hearty  and 
voluntary  ;  and  for  which,  therefore,  in  ftridt  Juftice,  we 
deferve  eternal  Damnation.  The  Law  is  already  exactly 
upon  a  Level  with  our  natural  Capacities,  and  it  need  not 
therefore  be  brought  any  lower.  And  there  is  no  greater 
Punifhment  threatened  than  our-Sin  deferves,  there  is  therc-^ 
fore  no  Reafon  the  Threatning  mould  be  reverfed.  As  to* 
the  Law,  all  is  well,  and  there  is  no  need  of  aay  Alteration. 

And 


and  diftmguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  109 

And  there  is  nothing  amifs,  but  in  our  felves.  It  is  impu- 
dentWickednefs  therefore  to  fly  in  theFace  ofGod  and  of  his 
holyLaw,and  charge  him  with  Injuflice  &  Cruelty ;  becaufe, 
forfooth,  we  hate  him  fo  bad,  that  we  cannot  find  it  in  our 
Hearts  to  love  him  •,  and  are  fo  high-hearted  and  flout, 
that  we  muft  not  be  blamed.  No,  we  are  too  good  to  be 
blamed  in  the  Cafe,  and  all  the  Blame  therefore  muft  be 
call  upon  God  and  his  holy  Law. —  Yea,  we  are  come 
to  that,  in  this  rebellious  World,  that  if  God  fends  to  us 
the  News  of  Pardon  and  Peace  thro5  Jefus  Chrift,  and  in 
vites  us  to  return  unto  him  and  be  reconciled,  we  are  come 
to  that,  I  fay,  as  to  take  it  as  an  high  Affront  at  the  Hands 
of  the  Almighty.  "  He  pretends  to  offer  us  Mercy,"  (fay 
God-hating,  God-provoking  Sinners,)  "  but  he  only  mocks 
ec  us.  For  he  offers  all  upon  Conditions,  which  we  can- 
"  not  poflibly  perform." — .  This  is  as  if  they  fhould  fay, 
"  We  hate  him  fo  much,  and  are  of  fo  high  a  Spirit,  that 
"  we  cannot  find  in  our  Hearts  to  return,  and  own  the 
"  Law  to  be  juft,by  which  we  ftand  condemned,  and  look 
"  to  his  free  Mercy  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  for  Pardon  and  eter- 
"  nal  Life  •,  and  therefore  if  he  will  offer  Pardon  and  eter- 
"  nal  Life  upon  no  eafier  Terms,  he  does  but  difiemble 

"  with  us,  and  mock  and  deride  us  in  our  Mifery." 

And  fince  this  is  the  true  State  of  the  Cafe,  therefore  it  is 
no  wonder,  that  even  infinite  Goodnefs  it  felf,  has  fixed 
upon  a  Day,  when  the  Lord  Jefus  fhall  be  revealed  from 
Heaven,  with  his  mighty  Angels,  in  flaming  Fire,  to  take 
Vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not 
the  Gofpel  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift.  And  then  fhall  un 
godly  Sinners  be  convinced  of  all  their  hard  Speeches, 
which  they  have  ungodlily  fpoken  againft  the  Lord.  And 
then  fhall  the  Righteoufnefs  of  all  God's  Ways  be  made 
manifeft  before  all  the  World. 

To  conclude,  God,  the  great  Lord  of  all,  has  threatned 
eternal  Damnation  againft  all  thofe,  who  do  not  perfectly 
keep  the  Law  ;  (Gal.  3.  10. )  even  altho*  they  live  and  die 
in  the  midft  of  the  Heathen  World.  Rom.  i.  18,  19,  20, 
(  of  which  more  afterwards.)  And  at  the  Day  of  Judgment 
he  will  execute  the  Threatuing  upon  all,  (thofe  only  ex- 
cepted,  that  are  by  Faith  interefted  in  Chrift  and  irr  the 

New- 


no        True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

New-Covenant :  )  and  his  fo  doing  will  evidently  be  jufti- 
fiable  in  the  Sight  of  all  Worlds  on  this  Ground,  viz. 
That  they  were  not  under  a  natural  Necejfity  of  Sinning, 
but  were  altogether  'voluntary  in  theirDifobcdicnce.  Luk.  19. 
27.  But  thofe  mine  ENEMIES  which  WOULD  NOT  that 
IJbould  reign  ever  them,  bring  hither  and/lay  them  before  me. 
And  this^  by  the  Way,  is  the  very  Thing,  which  ftops 
the  Mouth  of  an  awakened,  convinced,  humbled  Sinner, 
and  fettles  him  down  in  it,  that  he  deferves  to  be  damned, 
notwithftanding  all  his  Doings  -,  viz.  that  he  is  what  he  is, 
not  by  Compidfion^  or  thro'  a  natural  Necefftty,  but  altoge 
ther  voluntarily. —  There  is  nothing  more  difficult  in  the 
whole  Work  preparatory  to  Converfion,  than  to  make  the 
Sinner  fee  and  feel  and  own,  that  it  is  juft,  quite  juft,  alto 
gether  juft  and  fair,  for  God  to  damn  him. He  pleads, 

that  he  isforryfor  all  his  Sins^and  is  willing  to  for  fake  them  all 
for  ever^  and  is  refolved.  always  to  do  as  well  as  he  can.  He 
pleads,  that  he  carft  help  his  Heart's  being  fo  bad,  that  he  did 
not  bring  himf elf  into  that  Condition^  but  that  he  was  brought 
into  it  by  the  Fall  of  Adam,  which  he  could  not  pojfibly  pre 
vent  y  and  which  he  had  no  Hand  in. But  when  he  comes 

in  a^  clear  and  realizing  Manner  to  fee  and  feel  the  whole 
Truth  ,  viz.  That  he  does  not  care  for  God,  nor  defire  to, 
but  is  really  an  Enemy  to  him  in  his  very  Heart  ^  and  volun 
tarily  fo,  and  that  all  his  fair  Pretences,  and-  Promifes, 
Prayers,  and  Tears  are  but  meer  Hypocrify,  ariiing  only 
from  Self-love,  and  guilty  Fears,  and  mercenary  Hopes, — 

NOW  the  Bufmefs  is  done. For  fays  he,   //  matters 

not  how  I  came  into  this  Condition,  nor  whether  I  can  help 
having  fo  bad  a  Heart \fmce  lam  voluntarily^//^  a  one 
as  I  am,  and  really  love  and  choofe  to  be  what  I  be.  Rom.  7. 
8,  9.  Sin  revived  and  Idled.  He  feels  himfelf  withoutEx- 
,cufe,  and  that  his  Mouth  is  flopped,  and  that  lie  muft  be 
forced  to  own  the  Sentence  juft  :  for  he  feels  that  it  is  not 
owing  to  any  Compulfion  or  natural  Necejfity,  but  that  he  is 
voluntarily  and  heartily  fuch  a  one  as  he  is.  And  nowy  and 
not  till  now,  dees  he  feel  himfelf  to  be  a  Sinner,  compleatly 
fo  ;  for  he,  all  along  before,  fancied  fome  Goodnefs  to  be 
in  him,  and  thought  himfelf  in  fome  Meafure  excufable. 
And  now,  and  not  till  now,  is  he  prepared  to  attribute  his 

Salvation 


and  dijlmguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   1 1 1 

Salvation  entirely  to  free  and  fovereign  Grace.  All  along 
before  he  bad  fomething^/^/tfr  himfelf^  like  ti&Pbarifee. 
But  with  the  Publican,  he  now  fees  that  he  lies  at  Mercy. 

Luk,  1 8.  13. This  is  the  very  Thing  that  makes  all 

Mankind  to  blame,  altogether  to  blame,  for  being  what 
they  be,  namely,  that  they  are  voluntarily  fo ;  this  is  the 
Reafon  they  deferve  to  be  damned  for  being  fo,  and  this 
when  feen  and  felt  by  the  awakened  Sinner  effectually  Hops 
his  Mouth. 

And  this-  alfo  is  the  very  Thing  that  makes  Believers  fee 
thcmfelves  wholly  to  blame  for  not  being  perfectly  holy* 
and  lays  a  Foundation  for  their  mourning  for  their  want  of 
a  perfect  Conformity  to  the  Law.  They  feel  their  Defects 
are  not  theRdult  of  a  natural  Necejfity^  but  only  of  the  Re 
mains  of  their  old  Averfiorr  to  God,  which,  fo  far  as  they 
are  unfanctified,  they  are  voluntary  in.  *  And  hence  they 

cry 

*  OBJ.  "  But  does  not  St.  Paul  fay  in  Rom.  7.  18.  To  will,  is  prefent 
"  with  me  ',  but  bow  to  perform  that  which  is  good,  1  fend  not  /"' 

ANS.  'Tis  true,  he  had  a  ftrong  Difpofition  to  be  perfectly  holy,  but  his 
Difpofition  was  not  perfedt.  He  had  a  ftrong  Difpofition  to  love 
God  fupremely,  live  to  him  entirely,  and  delight  in  him  wholly,  but 
his  whole  Heart  was  not  perfectly  difpofed  to  do  fo.  There  was  a 
Spirit  of  averfion  to  God  and  love  to  Sin  remaining  in  him.  /;/  me, 
that  is,  in  my  Flcfi,  dwells  no  good  Thing.  And  this  was  the  Ground 
and  Caufe  of  all  his  Impotency.  So  that  when  he  fays,  To  will  is 
prefent  with  me,  but  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good  I  fend  not,  he 
means,  "  To  be  in  a  Meafure  difpofed  to  love  God  fupremely,  live 
"  to  him  entirely  and  delight  in  him  wholly,  is  natural  and  eafy  :  but 
"  how  to  get  my  whole  Heart  into  the  Difpofition  I  find  not,  it  is 
*'  beyond  me,  thro'  the  Remains  of  the  Flefh,  i.  e.  of  my  native 
"  Contrariety  to  God  and  love  to  Sin."  Which  remaining  Con 
trariety  to  God,  and  Propenfity  to  Sm,  fo  far  as  he  was  unfano 
tified,  he  was  voluntary  in  ;  but  fo  far  as  he  was  fan&ified,  he  per- 
feftly  hated.  With  my  Mind,  I  my  felf  ferve  the  Law  of  God,  but 
with  my  -Flejh  the  Law  of  Sin.  *uer.  25.  And  fo  the  Spirit  lufed 
Againji  the  Flejh,  und  the  Flejh  ar^inft  the  Spirit  ;  and  thefe  two  were 
lontrary  the  one  to  the  other  ;  and  hence  he  could  not  do  the  Thing:  that 
he  would.  Gal.  5.  17. 

OBJ.  "  But  does  not  St.  Paul  fpeak  feveral  Times  in  Rom.  7.  as  if  he 
"  was  not  properly  to  blame  for  his .  remaining  Corruptions,  when  he 
"  fays,  //  is  not  I,  but  Sin  that  dwelleth  in  me  /" 

ANS.  He  only  means,  by  that  Phrafe,  to  let  us  know  that  his  remaining 
Corruption  was  not  the  governing? rinciple  in  him  :  according  to  what 
he  had  faid  in  Rom,  6.  14.  Sin  foall  not  have  the  Dominion  over 

you, 


112        'True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

cry  out,  7  am  carnal^  fold  under  Sin?  0  ivr  etched  Man  that  1 
am  !  Rom.  7.  14,  24.  And  let  themfelvcs  down  for  Beafts 
and  Fools.  Pfal  .73.  22. 

And  finally,  this  want  of  a  good  Temper,  and  voluntary 
and  flubborn  Averfion  to  God,  and  love  to  themielves,  the 
World  and  Sin,  is  ALL  that  renders  the  immediate  Influ 
ences  of  the  holy  Spirit,  fo  abfolucely  neceffary,  or  indeed 
at  all  needful,  to  recover  and  bring  them  to  love  God  with 
all  their  Hearts.  A  bare  Reprefentation  of  what  God  is, 
were  Men  of  a  right  Temper,  would  raviih  their  Hearts ; 
for  his  Beauty  and  Glory  is  infinite.  'Tis  nothing  therefore 
but  theirBadnefs  that  makes  it  needful  that  there  Ihould  be 
Line  upon  Line ,  and  Precept  upon  Precept.  'Tis  their  Aver 
fion  to  God,  that  makes  any  Perfwafions  at  all  needful  -, 
for  were  they  of  a  right  Temper,  they  would  love  God 
with  all  their  Hearts  of  their  own  Accord.  And  furely 
were  not  Men  very  bad  indeed,  there  would  be  no  Occafi- 
on  for  his  Ambafiadors  with  fuch  Earnejinefs  to  befeech 
them.  We  pray  you)  fays  the  Apoftle,  in  Cbrift's  Stead>  be 
ye  reconciled  to  God.  2  Cor.  5.  20.  But  now,  that  all  exter 
nal  Means  that  can  pojffibly  be  ufed,  all  Arguments  and 
Motives  and  Entreaties,  urged  in  the  moft  forceable  Manner •, 
fhould  not  be  able  to  recover  Men  to  God,  no  not  one^  in 
all  the  World,  without  the  immediate  Influences  of  the 
holy  Spirit,  can  furely  be  attributed  to  nothing  Ihort  of 
this,  that  an  apoftate  World  are  in  very  Deed  at  Enmity 
againft  God,  and  their  Contrariety  to  him  is  mightily  fet 
tled  and  rooted  in  their  Hearts :  mightily  fettled  and  rooted 
indeed,  that  Paul  was  nothing,  and  Apollos  nothing,  and 
all  their  moft  vigorous  Efforts  nothing  •,  fo  that  without 
the  immediate  Influences  of  the  holy  Spirit,  not  one,  by 
them,  altho*  the  beft  Preachers,  of  mere  Men,  that  ever 
lived,  could  be  perfwaded  to  turn  to  God.  i  Cor.  3.  7. 

But 

you,  for  ye  are  not  under  the  Law  lut  under  Grace  :  But  does  not  at  all 
defign  to  infmuate  that  he  did  not  fee  himfelf  to  blame,  yea  wholly 
to  blame,  for  his  remaining  Corruption.  For  tho'  he  fays  fome- 
times,  It  is  not  7,  but  Sin  that  dwellctb  in  me,  yet  at  other  Times,  7  am 
carnal,  fold  under  Sin,  *ver.  14.  O  wretched  Man  that  I  am,  ver.  24. 
Like  a  broken-hearted  Penitent.  But  he  could  not  have  mourned  for 
his  remaining  Corruption  as  being  fmful,  if  he  had  not  felt  himfelf  to 
Blame  for  it. 


and  diftinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.   1 1 3 

But  that  the  World,  Ihould  in  Fad,  rife  in  Arms,  and  put 
the  MefTengers  of  Heaven  to  Death,  feems  to  argue  En 
mity  and  Malice,  even  to  Perfection. —  It  is  Men's  Badnefs, 
that  keeps  them  from  taking  in  right  Apprehenfions  of 
God,  and  that  makes  them  blind  to  the  Beauty  of  the 
divine  Nature,  and  that  makes  them  hate  God,  inftead  of 
loving  of  him  •,  but  for  this,  they  would  love  God  of  their 
own  Ac  cor d>  without  any  more  ado.  If  God  were  your  Fa^ 
tber,(fays  Chrift)  ye  would  love  me  \  ye  are  ofyourFather  the 
Devil,  therefore  ye  hate  me.  Surely  then  all  the  World  are 
inexcufable  and  wholly  to  blame  for  their  continuance  in 
Sin,  and  juftly  deierve  eternal  Damnation  at  the  Hands 
of  God,  as  was  before  faid.  Nor  is  it  any  Excufe,  to  fay, 
"  God  does  not  give  me  fufficient  Grace  to  make  me 
<f  better ;"  whenas  I  might  love  God,  with  all  my  Heart, 
of  my  own  Accord,  with  all  the  Eafe  in  the  World,  if  I 
were  but  of  a  right  Temper.  ^Yea,  fuch  is  his  Glory  and 
Beauty,  that  I  could  not  but  be  ravifhed  with  it,  were  I 
fuch  as  I  ought  to  be  -,  and  my  needing  any  fpecial  Grace 
to  make  me  love  God,  argues  that  I  am  an  Enemy  to  him, 
a  vile  abominable  Wretch,  not  fit  to  live.  And  to  pretend 
to  excufe  my  felf,  and  fay,  "  I  can't,  andGod  won't  make 
"  me,"  is  juft  as  bad  as  if  a  rebellious  Child  fhould  go  to 
his  good  Father,  and  fay,  "  I  hate  you,  and  can't  love  you, 
"  andGod  won't  by  his  almighty  Power  make  me  better  ; 
•c  and  therefore  I  be  not  to  Blame."  Whenas  the  Wretch 
could  not  but  love  his  good  Father,  were  it  not  that  he  is 

fo  exceedingly  vitiated  in  his  Temper. If  our  Impo- 

tency  confifted  in  and  refulted  from  our  want  of  natural 
Capacities,  if  it  was  the  Bufmefs  of  the  holy  Spirit  to  give 
us  new  natural  Faculties,  then  we  might  plead  our  Inabili 
ty,  and  plead  God's  not  giving  of  us  fufficient  Power,  in 
Excufe  for  our  felves.  But  fmce  all  our  Impotency  takes 
it's  Rife  entirely  from  another  Quarter,  and  all  our  need  of 
the  Influences  of  the  holy  Spirit  to  bring  us  to  love  God 
refults  from  our  Badnefs,  therefore  are  we  without  Excufe, 

srftho'  God  leaves  us  entirely  to  our  felves. And  indeed 

nothing  can  be  more  abfurd,than  to  fuppofe  theGovernour 
of  the  World  obliged  to  make  his  Creatures  love  him,  in 
fpight  of  all  their  Awrfion  ;  or  more  wicked,  than  to  lay 

I  the 


114         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

the  Blame,  of  their  not  loving  of  him,  upon  him,  in  Cafe 
he  does  not.  Jer.  7.  8,  9,  10,- 16. 

OBJ.  But  if  it  be  granted,  that  Men's  natural  Powers  are 
adequate  with  the  Law  of  God,  and  fo  they,  as  to  their  natural 
Capacities,  are  capable  of  a  perfect  Conformity  to  the  Law  ; 
and  if  it  be  granted,  that  the  outward  Advantages,  which  all 
have  who  live  under  the  Gofpel,  are  fufficient,  were  Men  but 
of  a  rightfemper,  to  lead  them  to  the  trueKnowledge  of  God-,  and 
fo,  that  all  fuch  are  without  Excufe :  yet  if  any  Part  of  Man 
kind  do  not  enjoy  fufficient  outward  Advantages  for  the  true 
Knowledge  of  God,  without  which  it  is  impoffible  they  Jhould 
either  love  or  ferve  him,  how  can  fuch  juftly  and  fairly  be 
accounted  altogether  to  blame  and  wholly  inexcufable  ?  If  the 
Heathen,  who  have  no  other  outward  Advantages  whereby  to 
gain  the  true  Knowledge  of  God,  than  the  Works  of  Creation 
and  Providence,  do*  but  honeftly  improve  what  they  have, /hall 
not  they  be  accepted,  altho'  they  fall /hort  offinlefs  Perfection  ? 
or  is  it  right  and  fair,  that  they  Jhould  be  damned  ? 

ANS.  I  fuppofe,  that  thofe  Advantages,  which  all  Man 
kind  do  actually  enjoy,  would  be  fufficient  to  lead  them  to 
a  true  Knowledge  of  God,  and  fo  to  love  and  ferve  him, 
were  they  of  a  right  Difpofition,  and  were  it  not  for  the 
Prejudices  that  blind  and  darken  their  Minds,  which  arife 
from  their  Enmity  to  God,  and  Love  to  themfelves,  the 

World  and  Sin.  Rom.  i.  20,  28. And  I  fuppofe,  that 

God,  the  wife,  and  holy,  juil  and  good  Governour  of  the 
World,  is  under  no  natural  Obligation,  to  ufe  any  fuper- 
natural  Means,  for  the  removal  of  thofe  Prejudices  ; 
(Rom.  9.  15.)  efpecially  confidering  that  Men  love  them, 
and  are  obftinate  in  them,  and  will  not  let  them  be  removed 
if  they  can  help  it,  as  is  in  Fact  the  Cafe.  Rom.  i.  18,  28. 

Job.  3.  19. And  I  fuppofe,  that  fince  the  Law  is  holy, 

juft  and  good,  that  nothing  iliort  of  finlefs  Perfection  can, 
or  ought  to,  pafs  with  the  fupreme  Lawgiver  and  Judge  of 
the  World,  as  a  Condition  of  Acceptance.  Gal.  3.  10. 

Rom.  3.  20. And  I  fuppofe,  that  God  was  under  no 

Obligations  to  provide  a  Saviour  to  bear  the  Curfe  of  the 
La  /  and  anfwer  its  Demands  for  any,  fince  all  are  volun 
tarily  at  Enmity  againft  him  and  his  Law.  Rom.  5.  8. — 
Upon  the  whole,  I  fuppofe,  that  all  Mankind  might  have 

been 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   115 

been  left  in  their  fallen  State,  without  a  Saviour,  or  any 
offers  of  Pardon  and  Peace,  or  any  fupernatural  Advanta 
ges  whatsoever  ;  and  that  yet  their  natural  Obligations  to 
love  God  with  all  their  Hearts,  would  have  by  no  Means 
ceafed  ^  and  that  it  would  have  been  perfectly  juft  and 
right  with  God,  to  have  infli&ed  eternal  Damnation  upon 

us,  for  our  not  doing  fo.  Rom.  i    18.  &  3.  19.- And 

befides,  I  fuppofe,  that  all  the  Nations  of  the  Earth  might 
have  had  the  Gofpel  preached  to  them,  and  to  this  Day 
enjoyed  it,  had  not  the  World  been  in  Arms  againfl  it, 
and  killed  the  MefTengers  of  Peace,  who  were  fent  to 
carry  the  glad  Tidings  of  Pardon  and  Salvation  round  the 
World.  Mat.  28.  19.  And  I  fuppofe,  that  ftill.-in  every 
Age  of  the  Chriftian  Church,  there  have  been  Minifters  of 
Chrift,  who  would  gladly  go  to  the  fartheft  Parts  of  the 
Earth,  to  carry  the  joyful  News  of  a  Saviour,  were  Men 
but  willing  to  receive  the  News,  and  repent  and  convert 
and  return  to  God:  I  know, there  are  fuch  in  this  Age. 
From  all  which,  I  fuppofe  that  it  is  right,  fair  and  juft  for 
God  to  execute  the  Threatning  of  his  Law  according  to 

his  declared   Defign.  Rom.  2.  5,  6. Thus   much  in 

general.     But  to  be  more  particular  : 

i .  It  is  plain,  that  the  Heathen,  as  well  as  the  reft  of 
Mankind,are  under  a  Law  that  forbids  all  Sin  and  requires 
perfect  Holinefs.  For  the  Wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from 
Heaven  againfl  all  Ungodliness  and  Unrighteoufnefs  of  Men9 
let  them  be  Jews  or  Gentiles.  Rom.  i.  18.  AndlinceGod 
is  what  he  is,  and  they  his  Creatures,  there  is  the  fame 
general  Ground  and  Reafon  that  they  fhould  love  him  with 
all  their  Hearts,  as  that  others  fhould.  And  it  is  plai  1't. 
Paul  looked  upon  the  Heathen  underObligations  to  glorify 
God  as  God)  and  be  thankful^  Rom.  1.21.  Which  is  the 
Sum  of  what  is  required  in  the  firft  Table  of  the  Law. 
And  none  will  pretend  that  the  Heathen  are  not  obliged 
to  love  their  Neighbours  as  themfelves,  and  do  as  they 
would  be  done  by  :  Which  is  the  Sum  of  what  the  fecond 
Table  requires.  So  that  it  is  a  plain  Cafe,  that  they 
are,  by  the  Law  of  Nature,  obliged  to  the  fame  perfect 
Holinefs,  which  is  required,  in  God's  written  World,  of 
the  reft  of  Mankind, 

I    2  2.    It 


ri6        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

2.  It  is  plain,  St.  Paul  looked  upon   them  as   enjoying 

fufficient  Means  of  Knowledge,  and  fo  to  be  without  Ex- 

cufe.  Rom.  i.  18.  For  the  Wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from 

Heaven,  againfl  all  Ungodlinefs  and  Unrighteoufnefs  of  Men^ 

who  hold  the  Truth  in  Unrighteoufnefs.     "  Who  hold  the 

"  Truth  in  Unrighteoufnefs,  i.  e.  who,  inftead  of  heartily 

"  receiving  and  loving  and  conforming  to  the  Truth,  do 

"  from  Love  to  their  Lufts,  hate,  and  wickedly  fupprefs, 

"  all  right  Notions  of  God,  of  Truth  and  Duty,   ftifling 

"  their  Confciences." —  But  how  do  the  Gentiles  difcover 

this Averfion  to  the  Truth,who  are  under  noAdvantages  to 

know  it  ? —  "  I  anfwer,"  fays  the  Apoftle,  '"  their  Ad- 

"  vantages  are  fufficient.  For  ($.  19.)  That  which  may  be 

"  known  of  God  is  manifeft  in  them.  i.  e.  The  Perfections  of 

"  God, which  is  all  that  is  knowable  of  God,are  difcovered  to 

"  them :"  as  he  adds,"  For  God  hathjhewed  it  unto  them" — 

But  were  not  the  Perfections  of  God  difcovered  to  them  fo 

darkly,  as  not  to  be  fufficiently  evident  and  perceivable  ? — 

"  Surely  no,"  fays  he-,  "  for  (/.  20.)  The  inviftble Things 

"  of  him,  from  the  Creation  of  the  World^  are  CLEARLY 

*•  SEEN,  being  under  flood  by  the  Things  that  are  made,  even 

"  his  eternal  Power  and  Godhead  ;  fo  that  they  are  without 

"  Excufe.  i.  e.  Ever  fince  the  Creation  of  the  World,  the 

"  Perfections  of  God  are  clearly  to  be  feen  in  his  Works, 

"  the  Things  which  he  has  made  manifefting  plainly  what 

"  a  God  he  is  •,  fo  that  thofe,  who  fee  not  his  Perfections 

"  and  are  not  fenfible  of  his  infinite  Glory,can't  plead  their 

"  want  of  fufficient  outward  Advantages,  in  Excufe  for 

"  their  Ignorance  and  Infenfibility,  and  therefore  the  Hea- 

**  then,  who  have  this  Advantage,  are  without  Excufe."  * — 

And 

*  If  it  fhould  be  oljefied,  that  St.  Paul  only  means,  that  'their  Advan 
tages  were  fo  great,  as  to  render  them  inexcufable  in  their  grofs 
Idolatry  and  high-handed  Wickednefs  ',  becaufe  they  did,  or  might  have 

known  better  than  to  do  fo. It  may  be   eafily   answered  from 

the  1 8th  Verfe,  that  he  means  to  prove  that  they  were  altogether  in 
excufable,  not  only  in  their  grofs  Sins,  but  alfo  in  all  their  Ungodlinefs> 
and  Unrighteoufnefs,  i.  e.  plainly  in  all  their  want  of  a  perfeft  Confor 
mity  to  the  moral  Law,  or  Law  of  Nature.  For  the  leaft  Degree  of 
Non-conformity  in  Heart  or  Life  to  the  firft  Table  of  the  Law,  is  fo 
great  a  Degree  of  Ungpdlinefs,  and  the  very  leaft  Degree  of  Non-con 
formity 


and  diftingui/hed from  all  Counterfeits.   117 

And  ftill  farther  to  clear  up  the  Point,  the  Apoftle  feems 
to  go  on,  as  it  were,  to  fay, —  "  Yea,  it  is  evident  that 
"  the  prefent  Ignorance  of  the  Gentile  Nations  is  affected, 
"  and  Yo  inexcufable,  not  only  from  the  fufficiency  of  their 
"  prefent  outward  Advantages,  but  alfo  from  their  former 
"  Mifimprovement  of  the  Advantages  which  they  hereto- 
"  fore  did  enjoy.  Becaufe  ($.  21.)  when  they  knew  God^ 
"  i.  e.  when  the  Heathen  Nations  formerly  had  right 
"  Notions  of  God  inftilled  into  them,  being  inftru&ed  in 
"  the  Knowledge  of  the  true  God,  by  Noah  and  his  Sons, 
"  from  whom  they  defcended,  yet  then  they  glorified  him 
"  net  as  Go^  neither  were  thankful-,  their  Instructions  had 
66  no  Influence  upon  them  to  make  them  holy.  But  they 
"  became  vain  in  their  Imaginations ,  and  their  foolijh  Heart 
"  was  darkened,  i.  e.  They  foon  fell  off  to  Idolatry,  and 
"  loft  that  Knowledge  of  the  true  God,  in  which  they  had 
"  been  inftrucled  and  educated.  For  ($.  28.)  They  did  not 
"  like  to  retain  God  in  their  Knowledge,  i.  e.  to  remember 
"  thofe  Inftruclions,  which  had  been  given  them,  concern- 
"  ing  the  Nature  and  Perfections  of  God :  f  But  they 

I  3  abandoned 

formity  to  the  fecond  Table  of  the  Law,  is  fo  great  a  Degree  of 
Unrighteoufnefs.  And  St.  Paul  is  exprefs  in  it,  that  the  Wrath  of  God 
is  revealed  from  Heaven  againft  ALL  Ungodlinefs,  &c.  And  in  <ver.  2 1 . 
he  is  full  in  it  that  the  Heathen  are  wholly  inexcufable  for  not  glori 
fying  God  as  God,  which  is  manifeftly  all  that  the  Law  ever  required.— 
So  that  it  is  plain,  he  does  not  defign,  merely  to  prove  that  they  were 
inexcufable  in  their  Idolatry  and  the  grofs  Wickedmfs  of  their  Lives  ; 
but  alfo  that  they  were  inexcufable  in,  and  wholly  to  Blame  for,  their 
not  being  perfectly  My.  For  they  did,  or  might  have  known,  that  God 
deferred  to  be  loved  <ivith  all  theirHeart ',  and  theirNeighbour,  asthetnfefaes, 

•f  And  I  may  add Concerning  the  Seed  of  the  Woman,  the  promifed 

Mejfiah,    and  the  Way    of  Salvation  thro"  him. For,  no  doubt, 

Noah  and  his  Sons  had  heard  of  this  Promife,  and  told  it  to  their 
Pofterity  ;  and  if  they  had  handed  it  down  fafe,  from  Age  to  Age, 
the  Heathen  World  might,  throughout  all  Generations,  have  been  in 
a  falvable  State ;  for  this  Promife  contained  the  Sum  and  Subftance  of 
the  Gofpel.  Methufelah  lived  two  Hundred  and  forty  Years  in  the 
Days  of  Adam.  Noah  lived  fix  Hundred,  and  his  Sons  about  a 
Hundred  Years  in  the  Days  of  Methufelah.  And  Ifaac  \vzsjfyiy  Years 
old  before  all  Noah's  Sons  were  dead.  So  that  this  Promife  might 
eafily  have  been  handed  a  long  down  by  Tradition,  and  doubtlefs 
would  have  been  fo,  had  it  been  precious  in  the  Eyes  of  the  Children 
of  Men.  And  afterwards,  farther  Light  might  have  been  obtained 
from  Ifrael,  God's  peculiar  People,  by  the  Gentile  Nations,  had  they 
really  been  de  firous  of  it. 


ii 8          7 rue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

"•.  abandoned  themfelves  to  Idolatry.  ($.  23,  2 $.}  For  which 
"  Caufe,  (f.  24,  26.)  for  which  Contempt  caft  on  God, 
"  God  gave  them  up  to  all  Manner  of  Wickednefs.  So  that 
"  the  prefent  extreme  Ignorance,  Blindnefs  and  Wicked- 
*c  nefs  of  the  Gentile  Nations,  they  have,  thro'  their  Aver- 
"  fion  to  God  and  Love  to  Sin,  brought  themfelves  into. 
"  So  that  it  is  manifeft,  they  do  not  defire  the  Know-, 
*c  ledge  of  God,  but  evidently  hate  all  right  Notions  of 
<c  him  ;  and  fo  are,  beyond  difpute,  withoutExcufe.  Which 
"  was  the  Point  to  be  proved."  Thus  he  proves  that  they 
are  without  Excufe,  becaufe  their  prefent  Advantages  for 
the  Knowledge  of  God  are  fufficient  •,  which  Advantages 
ever  fince  the  Creation  of  the  World  have  been  common 
to  all :  and  becaufe  they  had  once  fuperadded  Advantages 
from  parental  Inftrudions,  which,  inftead  of  well  improv 
ing,  and  of  carefully  handing  down  from  Generation  to 
Generation,  they  hated  to  remember,  and  fo  foon  forgot. 

And  thefe  Paffages  ought  to  be  of  more  Weight  to  de 
cide  the  Cafe,becaufe  they  are  not  meerly  occafionalStrokes, 
but  the  Apoftle  is  evidently  upon  the  very  fame  Point  that 
I  am.  For  from  the  1 8th.  Verfe  of  this  firft  Chapter ',  to  the 
1 9th.  Verfe  of  the  third.  He  is  induftrioufly  labouring  to 
prove,  that  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  are  all  under  Sin,  and  fo 
the  whole  World  guilty  before  ^od.  And  his  Arguments  are 
not  fetched  from  Mam's  firft  Sin,  but  from  comparing 
them  with  the  Law  of  God,  whereby  he  difcovers  their 
Wickednefs  -,  all  the  Blame  whereof,  he  entirely  lays  up 
on  them  :  and  becaufe  it  might  have  been  objected)  that 
the  Heathen  World  had  not  fufficient  Means  of  Knowledge ^and 
fo  were  not  wholly  to  blame  and  inexcufable  in  their  Non-con- 
formity  to  the  Law^  He  does  here  defignedly  obviate  the 
Olfjeffionj  and  prove  and  declare  them  to  be  without  any 
Excufe  from  that  Quarter.  The  Apoftle  evidently  takes  it  for 
granted,  that  they  had  fufficient  natural  Powers  to  capaci 
tate  them  for  the  Knowledge  of  God,  and  he  proves  that 
their  outward  Advantages  were  fufficient,  and  fo  he  lays 
the  whole  Blame  of  their  Ignorance,  Blindnefs  and  Wick 
ednefs  upon  themfelves ;  and  finally  fums  them  up,  with 
the  reft  of  Mankind,  as  having  their  Mouths  flopped*  and 
Jlanding  guilty  before  God.  Chapter  y  3.  19. 

The 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  119 

The  Truth  of  the  Cafe  feems,  in  a  few  Words,  to  lie 
here  •,  that  if  Adam  had  never  fell,  the  Works  of  Creation 
and  Providence  had  been  the  Glafs  in  which  he  himfelf, 
and  all  his  Pofterity,  would  have  beheld  the  Glory  of  the 
Lord,  from  Age  to  Age  •,  whereby,^^^  naturally  of  a  right 
Temper^  they  would  have  been  effectually  influenced,  to 
love  him,  live  to  him,  delight  in  him,  and  praife  him 
for  ever  ;  or  in  St.  Paul's  Words,  'To  glorify  God  as  God^and 

be  thankful. And  I  fuppofe,  that  all  Mankind,   ftill 

having  the  fame  natural  Powers,  and  the  fame  outward 
Advantages,  are  therefore  intirely  to  Blame  for,  and  wholly 
inexcufable  in,  all  their  Ignorance,  Blindnefs,  and  Wicked- 
nefs  ;  efpecially  confidering  they  perfectly  love  to  be  what 
they  be,  and  hate  to  be  reclaimed,  and  fland  ready  to  refift 
the  Light  when  offered,  and  fhut  their  Eyes  againft  the 
Truth,  from  whatever  Quarter  it  comes. —  The  Heavens, 
ftill  as  clearly  as  ever,  do  declare  the  Glory  of  the  I^ord^  and 
the  Firmament  Jheweth  his  handy  work  ;  Day  unto  Day  ut- 
tereth  Speech,  and  Night  unto  Night  Jheweth  Knowledge. 
Pfal.  19.  i.  The  natural  Perfections  of  God  are  clearly  to 
be  feen  in  all  his  Works  at  the  firft  Glance,  and  his  moral 
Perfections  would  be  equally  evident,  to  an  intelligent 
Creature  of  a  right  Temper,  at  the  fecond  Thought.  And 
then  his  Glory  would  immediately  mine  brighter  than  the 
Sun,  and  every  Heart  be  ravifhed  with  his  infinite  Beauty. 
But  fuch  is  our  Alienation  from  the  Deity  in  this  apoftate 
World,  and  fuch  the  vitiated  Temper  of  our  Minds,  that 
while  Angels  fee  the  divine  Glory  in  all  his  Works  (Rev. 
4>  n.)  Men,  fottifti*  brutiih  Men,  tho*  they  have  Eyes 
to  fee,  fee  not  \  but  are  blind  to  the  Manifeftations  which 
God  makes  of  himfelf  j  becaufe  they  do  not  like  to  have  God 
in  their  Knowledge, 
And  now, 

3.  As  to  the  Heathens  being  accept ed^  for  honeftly  improv 
ing  their  Powers  and  Advantages  •,  it  is,  in  the  firft  Place,mo& 
certain  from  St.Paul's  Account,  that  they  were  at  the  very 
greateft  Diftance  from  doing  fo. — HSutfecondly,  if  they  had 
done  fo,  yea,  if  they  had  difcovered  fo  good  a  Temper  of 
Mind,  as  perfectly  to  have  conformed  to  the  divine  Law, 
yet  it  is  the  very  Scope  of  all  the  Apoftle's  Rcafoning,  in 

I  4  the 


I2O         Irue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

the  three  firft  Chapters  of  his  Epiftle  to  theRc<mans>  to  prove 
that  by  the  Deeds  of  the  Law  no  Flejh,  neither  Jew  nor  Gen- 
//&,.  can  bejuftified.  And  fmce  the  Law  is  holy,  juft  and 
good,  it  is  not  indeed  reafonable,  that  any  Thing  fhort  of 
linlefs  Perfection,  from  firft  to  laft^  mould  pafs  with  the 
righteous  Governour  of  the  World,  as  a  Condition  of  Ac 
ceptance.  Future  Obedience,  let  it  be  ever  fo  perfect,  can 
do  nothing  to  make  Amends  for  former  Neglects  :  As  has 

been  already  proved  in  another  Place. -But  that  which 

of  it  felf  alone  is  entirely  fufficient  to  fay  in  this  Matter, 
is,  that  it  is  exprefly  declared  in  Rom.  i.  18.  *The  Wrath 
of  God  is  revealed  from  Heaven  againfl  all  Ungodlinefs  (or 
every  Breach  of  the  firft  Table,)  and  Unrighteoufnefs  (or 
every  Breach  of  the  fecond  Table  of  the  Law,)  of  Men  who 
hold  the  Truth  in  Unrighteoufnefs.  Which  Words  are  evi 
dently  defigned,  by  the  Apoflle,  to  reprefent  the  Character 
and  State  of  the  Heathen  World.  For  he  fpends  the  reft 
of  the  Chapter  in  enlarging  upon  this  Head,  fhewing  how 
the  Heathen  held  the  Truth  in  Unrighteoufnefs,  and  were 
expofed  to  the  Wrath  of  God  for  their  Ungodlinefs  and  Un 
righteoufnefs  ;  and  he  concludes  them  all  under  Sin  and  guilty, 
and  loft  for  ever,  unlefs  they  obtain  Juftification  by  Faith 

in  Chrift.  See  Chapter^  3.  9,  19,  20,  30.  Ferfes. And 

thus  we  fee  how  all  Mankind  have,  not  only  fufficient  na 
tural  Powers,  but  alfo  fufficient  outward  Advantages,  to 
know  God  and  perfectly  conform  to  his  Law,  even  the 
Heathen  themfelves.  And  that  the  very  Reafon  they  do 
not,  is  their  want  of  fuch  a  Temper  as  they  ought  to  have, 
and  their  voluntary  rootedEnmity  toGod,and  love  toSin.  * 

And 

.*  OBJ.  But  it  is  impoflille  they  Jbculd  low  God  with  all  their  Hearts,  if 
they  ha<ve  no  Hopes  of  finding  Favour  in  his  Sight.  For  he  that  cometh 
to  God  muft  believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  a  REWARDER  of  them 
that  diligently  feek  him.  Heb.  1 1 .  6. 

ANSW.  Coming  to  God,  in  Hib.  n.  6,  evidently  implies,  not  only  a 
Conformity  to  the  Law,  but  alfo  a  Compliance  with  theGofpel.  i.e. 
it  implies  not  only  a  Difpofition  to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts, 
but  alfo  a  trufting  in  him  for  the  divine  Favour  and  eternal  Life 
upon  Gofpel -Encouragements ;  which  Gofpel-Encouragements  mult 
therefore  be  underftood  and  believed,  or  it  will  indeed  be  impolfible 
fo  to  truft  in  him.  But  I  did  not  fay  that  the  Heathen  were  under 
fufficient  outward  Advantages  [for  an  evangelical  returning  to  Go'd, 

whicji 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits  121 

And  now  that  they  are  wholly  to  blame  and  entirely  inex- 
cufable,  appears  ftill  in  a  clearer  Light. 

But  before  I  leave  this  Point,  I  muft  make  this  Remark, 
viz.  That  if  God  looks  upon  the  Advantages  of  the  Hea 
then  fufficient,  no  Wonder  that  he  fo  often  fpeaks  of  the 
Advantages  of  his  own  profefiing  People,  as  being  much 
more  than  barely  fufficient  •,  even  altho'  they  enjoy  only  the 
outward  Means  of  Grace,  without  the  inward  Influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  For  if  the  natural  Advantages  of  the 
Heathen  are  fufficient,  furely  the  fupernatural  Advantages 
of  thofe  who  enjoy  a  divine  Revelation^rz  much  more  than 
fufficient.  And  if  the  Advantages  of  *  thofe  who  enjoy  only 
a  divine  Revelation  are  much  more  than  fufficient,  no  won 
der  then  that  thofe  who  lived  in  the  Days  of  Mofes,  Ifaiab 
and  Chrift)  are  reprefented  as  veryMonfters  of  Wickednefs, 
for  remaining  blind,  fenfelefs,  impenitent,  and  unholy,fmce 
they  enjoyed  fuch  great^and  fo  many  fuper  added  Advantages. 
No  wonder  therefore,that  Mofes  every  where  reprefents  the 
Children  of  Ifrael,  as  fuch  a  itubborn,  perverfe,  ftiffnecked, 
rebellious  People,  (particularly  fee  Deut.  9..)  and  makes  as 
if  theirBlindnefs,Senfelefnefs  and  Impenitency  was  the  moft 

unaccountable 

which  is  what  is  intended  in.  Hel.   n.  6.   but  only  for   a  Compli 
ance  with  the  Law  of  Nature,  which  is  what  is  intended  in  Rom. 

I.    20,    21. 

OBJ.  But  ftill,  is  it  not,  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  inipoffible  they  Jbould 
love  God,  if  they  have  no  Hopes  of  finding  Favour  in  his  Sight  ? 

ANSW.  Let  common  Senfe  decide  the  Cafe.  A  Servant  hates  his 
Mailer  (a  very  good  Man)  without  Caufe,  murders  his  only  Son, 
fteals  a  thoufand  Pounds  of  his  Money,  runs  away  into  a  far  Country, 
fpends  feveral  Years  in  riotous  Living  ;  at  length  he  is  catch'd,  he 
is  brought  Home  to  his  Mafter,  who  is  a  Man  in  Authority,  before 
him  he  has  his  Trial,  is  condemned,  and  has  no  hope  of  Favour. — 
But  how  does  this  render  it  impoffible,  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  that 
he  mould  love  his  Mafter  ?  Why  can't  he  love  his  Mafter  now,  as 
,  well  as  ever  he  could  ?  He  has  the  fame  original  Grounds  of  Love 
he  ufed  to  have.  He  ufed  to  love  his  Mafter  :  his  Mafter  is  as  wor 
thy  of  his  Efteem  as  ever  :  He  has  no  Caufe  to  efteem  his  Mafter 
e'r  the  kfs,  becaufe  he  himfelf  has  been  fuch  a  Villain,  or  becaufe 
he  is  doom'd  to  die  for  his  Crimes  ;  a  Punifhment  juftly  due.  To 
diflike  his  Mafter  for  thefe  Things,  would  be  perfefUy  unreafonable. 
Surely,  were  he  but  of  a  right  Temper,  he  could  not  but  take  all  the 
Blame  to  himfelf,  and  juftify  his  Mafter,  and  efteem  and  love  him, 
-and  be  heartily  forry  for  all  his  Villianies.  He  can  be  under  no  Ina 
bility  ,  but  what  muft  arife  from  a  bad  Heart.  The  Application  is  eafy. 


122         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

unaccountable  and  inexcufable,  fince  their  Eyes  had  feen, 
and  their  Ears  had  heard,  fuch  Things,  and  their  Advanta- 
tages  had  been  fo  great.  Deut.  29.  2,  3,4.  And  Mofes  call 
ed  unto  all  Ifrael^and  f aid  unto  them^  Te  have  feen  all  that  the 
Lord  did  before  your  Eyes,  in  theLand  0/Egypt,  ^0Pharaoh, 
and  unto  all  his  Servant s^  and  unto  all  his  Land ;  (and  that  he 
might  fet  forth  the  Greatnefs  of  the  Things  which  they 
had  feen,  he  adds)  'The  great  Temptations  which  thine  Eyes 
have  feen,  the  Signs,  and  thofe  great  Mirac!es,(a\\  which  have 
been  enough  to  melt  the  Heart  of  a  Stone,  and)  yet  (  as  he 
goes  on  to  fay, )  the  Lord  (  by  all  thefe  Things  which  have 
been  fo  much  more  than  enough,  )  hath  not  given  you  an 
Heart  to  perceive^  and  Eyes  to  fee?  and  Ears  to  hear,  unto  Ms 
Day  :  All  thefe  Means  have  not  to  this  Day  attained  the 
End,  and  made  you  fee  and  feel  and  know  what  a  God  the 
Lord  is,  and  bring  you  to  love  him  and  fear  him  and  walk 
in  all  his  Ways.  Mofes  evidently  fpeaks  of  it  as  a  very  flrange 
Thing,  that  they  fhould  be  blind,  fenfelefs,  impenitent  and 
unholy,  after  fuch  Means  and  Advantages,  as  if  they  were 
mofl  inexcufable,  yea,  under  a  very  aggravated  Guilt:  •, 
whereby  he  plainly  takes  it  for  granted, that  their  Advanta 
ges  had  been  much  more  than  fufficient,  had  it  not  been  for 
their  Want  of  a  right  Temper,  and  their  wicked  Obftinacy 
and  Perverfenefs.  And  yet  hementions  none  but  outward 
Means  and  outward  Advantages,  and  does  not  give  the  leafl 
Intimation  that  they  had  had  any  inward  Afililance  from 
the  holy  Spirit.  He  does  not  bring  any  fuch  Thing  into 
the  Account,  but  wholly  aggravates  their  Sin  and  their 
great  Inexcufablenefs,  from  the  Confideration  of  their  out 
ward  Helps.  Te  have  feen  all  that  the  Lord  did  before  your 
Eyes  in  the  Land  of  Egypt ,  &c. —  And  no  wonder  he  tho't 
them  fo  very  inexcufable,  fince  God  looks  upon  the  Hea 
then  World  without  Excufe,  irr  that  while  the  Heavens  de 
clare  the  Glory  of  the  Lord,  &c.  they  don't  fee  with  their 
Eyes,  and  perceive  with  their  Hearts,  and  from  a  Senfe  of 
his  Glory,  only  thus  difcovered,  love  him,  and  live  to  him. 
For  if  their  Advantages  are  enough,  furely  the  Advantages 
of  the  Israelites  were  much,  very  much,  more  than  enough. 

And  upon  the  fame  Hypothecs,  it  is  no  Wonder  that 
God  looked  upon  the  Cafe  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael  as  he 

did 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   123 

did,  in  the  Time  of  Ifaiab  ;  who,  from  the  Days  of  Mofes 
even  to  that  Day,  had  from  Age  to  Age  enjoyed  fuch  out 
ward  Advantages  as  they  had,  and  had  had  fuch  outward 
Means  ufed  with  them  •,  and  in  that  Age  enjoyed  fo  great 
an  outwardPriviledge,  as  the  dailyProphefying  and  Preach 
ing  of  Ifaiah,  Hofea,  Amos*  and  Micah  ;  who,  fome,  if  not 
all,  of  them  prophefied,  as  it  is  very  probable,  forty  or  fifty 
Years  together  at  the  fame  Time,  as  we  may  learn  from  the 
firft  Verfe  in  their  feveral  Books,  which  tell  us  when  and 
how  long  they  prophefied,  compared  with  the  Account  we 
have  of  thofe  Kings  Reigns,  in  the  Books  of  the  Kings,  in 

whofe  Reigns  they  prophefied. No  wonder,  I  fay,  God 

fpeaks  as  he  does  inlfa.  5.  i, — 7.  My  Beloved  hath  a  Vine 
yard  in  a  very  fruitful  Hill.  And  he  fenced  it,  and  gathered 
out  the  Stones  thereof,  and  planted  it  with  the  choiceft  Vine, and 
built  a  Tower  in  the  midft  of  it,  and  alfo  made  a  Wine-Prefs 
therein.  —  Here  is  reprefented  the  natural  Powers,  and  out 
ward  Advantages  of  God's  People. •  And  he  looked  that 

it  Jhould  hr ing  forth  Grapes,  and  it  brought  forth  wildGrapes. 
And  now,  O  Inhabitants  of  Jerufalem,  and  Men  of  Judah, 
judge,  I  pray  you,  betwixt  me  and  my  Vineyard.  What  could 
have  been  done  more  to  my  Vineyard,  that  I  have  not  done  in 
it  ?  Wherefore,when  Hooked  that  it  Jhould  bring  forthGrapes, 

brought  it  forth  wild  Grapes  ? Here  all  the  Blame  is 

entirely  laid  on  themfelves,  and  their  Condu6l  is  confidered 

as  being  inexcufably,   yea,  unaccountably  bad. And 

now  go  to  -,  I  will  tell  you  what  I  will  do  to  my  Vineyard  -,  I 
will  take  away  the  Hedge  thereof,  &c.  Where  nothing 
can  be  plainer  than  that  the  Children  of  Ifrael  are  repre 
fented,  as  enjoying  fufficient  Advantages  for  Fruitfulnefs, 
yea,  Advantages  much  more  than  barely  fufficient,  and  that 
their  proving  as  they  did,  was  unfpeakably  vile  and  God- 
provoking,  and  for  which  they  deferved  utter  Ruin ;  and 
ibr  which  indeed  God  did  afterwards,  according  to  his  de^ 
clared  Defign,  bring  utter  Ruin  upon  them.  But  ail  thofe 
Advantages  were  outward  \  nor  is  the  inward  Affiflance  of 
the  holy  Spirit  any  where  brought  into  the  Account,  when 
ever  the  Greatnefs  of  their  Advantages  is  fet  forth,  on  Pur- 
pofe  to  Ihew  how  aggravated  their  Wickednefs  was  :  but 
this  is  conftantly  the  Charge,  as  in  2  Chron.  36.  15,16,17. 

And 


124       True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

And  the  Lord  God  of  their  Fathers  fent  unto  them  by  his  Mef- 
fengers,  rifing  up  betimes  and  fending  •,  but  they  mocked  theMef- 
fengers  ofGod^  and  defpifed  hisWords^  and  mifufed  hisProphets, 
until  the  Wrath  of  God  arofe  againsJ  his  People?  'till 
there  was  no  Remedy.  Therefore  he  brought  upon  them  the 
King  of  the  Chaldees.  Not  becaufe  they  did  not  improve 
the  inward  Affiftances  of  the  holy  Spirit,  but  becaufe  they 
did  not  improve  their  outward  Advantages,  did  not  hearken 
to  God's  MeJJengers. —  And  in  this  Strain  their  Confeflions 
ran,  when  God  by  his  Grace  had  brought  them  to  fee  what 
they  had  done.  As  in  Dan.  9.  5,  6.  &c.  We  havejinned^and 
committed  Iniquity ,  and  have  done  wickedly,  and  have  rebelled, 
even  by  departing  from  thy  Precept  s>  and  from  thy  Judgments : 
Neither  have  we  HEARKENED  UNTO  THY  SERVANTS  THE 
PROPHETS,  which  fpake  in  thy  Name.  The  not  hearkning  to 
them  is  mentioned  as  the  great  Aggravation  :  but  their  not  im 
proving  the  inward  Afliftance  of  the  Spirit  is  not  brought 
into  the  Account.  See  Neh.  9.  30. —  It  is  evident,  that  the 
Children  of  Ifrael,  confidered  as  a  Nation,  had  not  fpecial 
Grace,  or  the  renewing  fanclifying  Influences  of  the  holy 
Spirit,  as  one  of  their  Advantages,  from  Jer.  31,  31,32,33. 
Behold  the  Days  come^  faith  the  Lor d>  that  I  will  make  a  new 
Covenant  with  the  Houfe  of  Ifrael,  and  with  the  Houfe  of  Ju- 
dah)  not  according  to  the  Covenant  I  made  with  theirFathers, 
in  the  "Day  I  took  them  by  the  Hand,  to  bring  them  out  of  the 
Land  of  Egypt ,  (which  my  (  national )  Covenant  they  brake, 
altho*  I  was  as  an  Hujband  unto  them^  faith  the  Lord.  )  But 
thisjhall  be  the  Covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the  Houfe  of 
Ifrael,  after  thofe  Days,  faith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  Law  in 
their  inward  Parts^  and  write  it  in  their  Heart s,  and  will  be 
their  Gody  and  they  jh all  be  my  People.  Where  the  renewing 
fanctifying  Influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  mentioned,  as 
a  peculiar  Priviledge  the  Jewijh  People,  were  not  entit 
led  unto  as  a  Nation^  by  that  national  Covenant  which  God 
entered  into  with  them,  as  fu'ch,  at  Mount  Sinai.  Exod.  19. 
Deut.  5.  and  which  afterwards,  at  the  End  of  40  Years, was 
renewed  at  theBorders  ofCanaan.  Deut. 29.  Nor  indeed  were 
there  any  inward  Influences  of  the  holy  Spirit,  at  all,  pro- 
mifed  in  that  national  Covenant,  as  acommonPriviledge,to 
be  by  them  in  common  enjoyed.  And  if  they  were  not  en 
titled 


and  diftinguifhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  125 

tided  to  thisPriviledge  as  aNation  by  their  nationalCovenant, 
then  there  is  noEvidence  that  they,  as  aNation,did  enjoy  it. 
And  therefore  whenGod  fpeaks  as  if  he  had  done  all  for  that 
Nation  that  could  be  done,  he  plainly  has  Refpeft  only  to 
outward  M^tf^which  were  all  that  they  as  aNation  enjoy'd: 
And,as  to  them,he  evidently  had  good  Ground  fo  to  fay  -9  fmce 
he  haddone  fuch  greatThings  forthem,&fentfuchProphets 
among  them,  and  been  continually  taking  all  Pains,  from 
Age  to  Age,  to  make  them  a  holy  People.  Even  as  we 
are  ready  to  fay  concerning  the  People  of  a  particular  Pa- 
rim,  where  there  is  a  learned,  godly,  and  fo  a  plain,  fearch-. 
ing,  powerful,  enlightning,  faithful  Minifter,  fuch  as  Mr. 
Sbepard  was  in  his  Day,  What  more  could  be  done  for  fuch  a 

People^  that  is  not  done  ? And  therefore  when  Stephen 

charged  the  Jews,  that  they  always  rejtfted  the  Hcly  Gboft, 
as  their  Fathers  had  done,  ( in  Aft.  7.  51.  )  he  means  that 
they  had  always  refitted  the  Holy  Ghoft,  as  fpeaking  in 
and  by  their  Prophets,  as  now  they  did  the  fame  Spirit 
that  fpake  in  and  by  him  :  as  is  plain  from  #.52.  and  as 
is  alfo  evident  from  Neb.  9.  30.  And  befides  there  is  not 
the  leaft  Intimation,  that  thofe  Jews  to  whom  Stephen 
fpoke,  were  under  any  of  the  inward  Influences  of  the  holy 
Spirit,  but  they  feem  rather  to  ad  like  Creatures 
wholly  left  of  God.  And  this  Hint  may  help  us  to  under- 
ftand  that  Phrafe  in  Neb.  9.  20.  Compared  with  Num.  n. 

1 7. So  that  from  the  whole,  it  is  evident,  that  the 

Children  of  Ifrael,  as  a  Nation,  were  in  Ifaiatfs  Time 
looked  upon  as  enjoying  Advantages  much  more  than  fuf- 
ficient  for  their  being  a  holy  and  fruitful  People,  had  they 
been  of  a  right  Temper  and  not  fo  wickedly  obftinate  and 
perverfe  in  their  bad  Difpofition  ,  and  yet  their  Advantages 
were  only  outward,  and  the  inward  Influences  of  the  holy 
Spirit  are  not  taken  into  the  Account. —  And  well  might 
their  Advantages  be  thus  efteemed  upon  the  forementioned 

Hypothecs. Yea,  if  all  Mankind  are  able,  in  refpeft 

of  their  natural  Capacities  to  yield  perfect  Obedience,  and 
if  the  Advantages  of  the  very  Heathen  were  fufficient,  had 
it  not  been  for  the  want  of  a  right  Temper  in  them  and 
for  their  very  badDifpofition,it  is  no.  wonderthatGod  fpeaks 
here  concerning  his  peculiarPeopk,  whofe  outward  Advan 
tages 


126          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

tages  were  exceeding  great,  as  if  he  had  had  very  raifed 

Expedations  of  their  being  a  holy  People. Wherefore, 

when  I  looked  it  Jhould  bring  forth  Grapes,  brought  it  forth 
wild  Grapes  ?  q.d.  "  I  have  done  all  as  to  outward  Means, 
"  that  could  be  done,  to  make  you  a  holyPeople.  Enough, 
"  and  more  than  enough.  And  I  looked  and  expected 
"  that  you  fhould  have  been  fo.  And  whence  is  it  that 
"  you  be  not  ?  How  unaccountable  is  it  ?  And  how  great 
"  is  your  Wickednefs !  And  how  great  your  Guilt !"  For 
it  is  God's  Way,  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  to  fpeak  to  Men, 
after  the  Manner  of  Men,  who  are  wont  to  have  their  Ex 
pectations  of  Fruitfulnefs  raifed,  when  they  fow  or  plant  in 
a  fertile  Soil,  well  manured  and  cultivated.  See  Mat.  21. 

33, — 41. Juft  fo  a  Mafter  is  wont  to  fpeak  to  his 

Servant,  who  is  ftrong  and  able  for  Bufmefs,  "  I  looked 
"  that  you  fhould  have  done  fuch  a  Piece  of  Work,where- 
"  fore  is  it  not  done  ?  You  had  Time  enough  and  Strength 
"'  enough."  And  that  altho'  he  knew  in  all  Reafon  before 
Hand,  that  his  Servant  would  not  do  it,  becaufe  of  his 
lazy,  unfaithful  Temper.  The  Defign  of  fuch  Speeches 
being  to  reprefent  the  great  Unreafonablenefs  and  Inexcufa- 
nefs  of  fuch  a  Conduct. 

And  finally,  upon  the  fame  Hypothecs,  it  is  no  wonder 
that  JefusChrift  reprefents  the  People  of  Chorazin  andBeth- 
faida  and  Capernaum^  as  enjoying  Advantages  fufficient  to 
have  brought  even  tyre  and  Sidon  and  Sodcm  toRepentance, 
which  in  Scripture- Account  are  fome  of  the  moft  wicked 
Cities  in  the  World  ;  and^fo  confequently  more  than  barely 
fufficient  to  have  brought  them  to  Repentance,  who  were 
by  Profeffion  the  People  of  God.  For  they  had  enjoyed  the 
Miniftry  vtChrift  himielf,  and  feen  very  many  of  his  migh 
ty  Works.  Mat.  ii.  20 — 24.  If  the  Advantages  of  the 
Heathen  World  are  fufficient,  well  might  Chrift,  fpeaking 
after  the  Manner  of  Men,  feem  to  be  fo  confident  that  tyre 
and  Sidon  and  Sodom  would  have  repented,  if  they  had  feen 
his  mighty  Works  :  And  well  might  he  fpeak  as  if  the  Peo 
ple  of  Chorazin  &c.  had  enjoyed  Advantages  more  than 
barely  fufficient,  and  lay  all  the  Blame  of  their  Impe- 
nitency-upon  them,  yea,  and  look  upon  them  as  under  an 
aggravated  Guilt,  and  give  them  fo  heavy  a  Doom. — -And 

yet 


and  diftinguifoed from  all  Counterfeits.   127 

yet  nothing  can  be  plainer,  than  that  the  Advantages  which 
they  enjoyed  were  only  outward^  for  no  other  are  brought 
into  the  Account  as  Aggravations  6f  their  Guilt.  Wo  unto 
theejor  if  the  mightyWorks  which  were  done  in  youficc. — He 
does  not  in  the  leaft  intimate  as  if  they  had  any  inward 
Help  from  the  holy  Spirit,  but  only  fays  he  has  done  migb- 
ty  Works  among  them.  Yea,  in  the  25th.  Verfe  he  plainly 
declares  that  they  were  left  deftitute  of  fpecial  Grace. 

And  thus,  while  withSt.Pitt»/,  we  look  upon  the  Advan 
tages  even  of  theHeathenWorld,as  fufficientto  lead  them  to 
the  true  Knowledge  of  God  and  a  perfect  Conformity  to  his 
Law,  but  for  their  Want  of  a  good  Temper,  and  their  vo 
luntary  Averfion  to  God  and  Love  to  Sin  ;  we  eafily  fee 
whence  it  is,  that  the  external  Advantages  of  thofe  who  en 
joy  the  Benefit  of  a  divine  Revelation,  together  with  other 
outward  Means  of  Grace,  are  reprefented,  as  being  much 
morethan  barely  fufficient ;  &  confequently  theirGuilt,in  re 
maining  Impenitent  &Unholy,as  being  doubly  aggravated. 

And  before  I  leave  this  Point  I  muft  make  one  Remark 
more,  namely,  that  if  the  Advantages  of  the  HeathenWorld 
were  fufficient,  but  for  their  want  of  a  good  Temper, their 
voluntary  Averfion  to  God  and  Love  to  Sin,  to  lead  them 
to  the  true  Knowledge  of  God,  and  a  perfect  Conformity 
to  his  Law,  as  has  been  proved  •,  then  God  was  not  under 
any  natural  Obligations  to  grant  to  any  of  Mankind  anyfu~ 
fernatural  Advantages  ,  but  ftill  might  juftly  have  required 
finlefs  Perfection  of  all,  and  threatned  eternal  Damnation 
for  the  leaft  Defect.  I  fay,  God  was  under  no  natural  Obli 
gations ,  i.  e.  any  Obligations  arifing  from  his  Nature  and 
Perfections  :  For  he  might,  confiftent  with  his  Holinefs, 
Juftice  and  Goodnefs,  have  left  all  Mankind  to  themfelves, 
without  any  fupernatural  Advantages  •,  fmce  their  natural 
Advantages  were  fufficient,  and  they  were  obflinate  in- their 
Ignorance,  Blindnefs  and  Wickednefs.  Moft  certainlyGod 
was  not  bound  to  have  fent  his  Son,  his  Spirit,  his  Word, 
his  Meffengers,  and  intreat  and  befeech  thofe,  who  perfectly 
hated  him,  and  hated  to  hear  from  him,  and  were  difpofed 
to  crucify  his  Son,  refift  his  Spirit,  pervert  his  Word,  and 
kill  his  Meffengers,  to  turn  and  love  him  and  ferve  him  ; 
but  might,  even  confiftent  with  infinite  Goodnefs  it  fclf," 

have 


128          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

have  let  them  take  their  Courfe,and  go  on  in  the  Way  they 
were  fet  in,  and  have  damned  them  all  at  kill. 

All  that  the  great  and  glorious  Governour  of  the  World 
requires  of  Mankind  in  theLaw  of  Nature,  is,  that  they  love 
him  with  all  their  Hearts  and  Souls,  and  live  as  Brethren 
together  in  his  World,  which  is  infinitely  reafonable  in  it 
felf,  and  which  they  have  fufficient  natural  Powers  to  do. 
And  he  has  ftretched  abroad  the  Heavens  as  aCurtain  over 
their  Heads,  which  declare  the  Glory  of  the  Lord,  and  in 
the  Earth  and  in  all  his  Wrorks,  his  Perfections  are  clearly 
to  be  ieen,  fo  that  all  are  under  fufficient  Advantages  for 
the  Knowledge  of  him  -,  but  Mankind  hate  God,  and  fay 
unto  the  Almighty,  Depart  from  us,  for  we  do  not  defire 
the  Knowledge  of  thy  Ways  :  And  hence  they  ftill  remain 
Ignorant  of  God,  averfe  to  him,  and  in  love  with  Sin.  And 
now,  I  fay,  it  is  as  evident  as  the  Sun  at  Noon  Day,  that 
God  might  fairly  have  damned  fuch  Creatures,  without 
ufing  any  more  Means  with  them.  His  Law  being  thus 
upon  a  perfect  Level  with  their  natural  Powers  and  natural 
Advantages,  he  was  not  obliged,  as  he  was  the  righteous 
and  good  Governour  of  the  World,  to  grant  them  any  fu- 
pernatural  Afliftance,  either  outward,  by  an  external  Reve 
lation,  or  inward,  by  the  internal  Influences  of  his  holy  Spirit. 
And  therefore  it  is,  that  the  great  Ruler  of  the  World,  has 
always  acted  Sovereignly  and  Arbitrarily  in  thefe  Matters, 
beftowing  thefe  fupernaturalFavours  upon  whom  he  pleafes, 
as  being  obliged  to  none.  Thus  he  has  done  as  to  the  ex 
ternal  Revelation.  Pfal.  147.  19,20.  He  Jheweth  his  Word, 
unto  Jacob,  bis  Statutes  and  his  Judgments  unto  Ifrael :  He 
hath  not  dealt  fo  with  any  Nation,  and  as  for  his  Judgments 
they  have  not  known  them.  And  thus  he  has  done  as  to  the 
internal  Influences  of  his  Spirit.  Mat.  n.  25,26.  I  thank 
thee,  0  Father, Lord  of  Heaven  andEarthJtecaufe  thou  haft  hid 
thefe  Things  from  the  wife  andfrudent,  and  haft  revealed  them 
unto  Babes.  Evenfo  Father,  for  fo  it  feemed  good  in  thy  Sight. 
And  thus  God  even  to  this  Day,  as  to  both  outward  and 
inward  Helps,  hath  Mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  Mercy,  and 
Compaffwn  on  whom  be  will  have  CompaJJion.  He  eff equally 
fends  the  Golpel  to  one  Nation  and  not  to  another  ;  and 
where  the  Gofpel  is  preached,  he  by  his  Spirit  awakens, 

convinces, 


an  I-  !    'nguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.   129 

convinces,  humbles,  converts  whom  he  pleafes,  and  leaves 

the  reft. 

And  thus  the  Objection,  from  the  Heathen's  not  having 
fufficient  outward  Advantages,  has  been  anfwered.  And 
from  the  Anfwer,  I  have  taken  Occafion  to  make  thefe 
(I  hope)  not  unprofitable  Remarks  •,  &  may  now  return  and 
repeat  my  former  AfTertion,  with  ftill  higher  Degrees  of 
AiTurance,  viz.  that  Mankind  are  altogether  to  blame  for, 
and  entirely  inexcufable  in,  their  Non-conformity  to  the 
holy  Law  of  God,  and  therefore  juftly  deferve  Damnation  ; 
and  that  even  the  Heathen,  as  well  as  others. 

Thus  have  I  endeavoured,  to  (hew  what  is  the  exact 
Meafure  of  Love  and  Obedience  that  God  requires  of  the 
Children  of  Men,  and  that  all  Mankind  have  fufficient 
natural  Powers  and  outward  Advantages,  and  that  all  their 
Biindnefs,  Ignorance  &  Wickednefs  are  voluntary,  chofen 
and  loved.  And  I  have  been  the  larger  upon  thefe  Things, 
in  order  to  clear  up  the  Jufticv  of  God  and  his  Law,  and 
the  Grace  of  God  in  his  Gofpel  :  Both  which,  have  been 
fadly  mifreprefented,  by  thofe  who  have  not  aright  under- 
flood  or  well  attended  to  thefe  Things.     They  have  faid, 
that  it  is  not  juft  in   God  to  require  finlefs  Perfection  of 
Mankind,  or  damn  any  for  the  want  of  it.  They  have  faid, 
that  the  Law  is  abated  and  brought  down  to  a  level  with, 
(I  hardly  know  what,  unlefs  I  call  it,)  the  vitiated  depraved 
Temper  of  an  apoftate  World,  who  both  hate  God  and 
his  holy  Law,  and  want  an  Act  of  Toleration  and  Indul 
gence  to  be  pail  in  Favour  of  their  Corruptions,  that,  at 
Heart,  they  may  remain  dead  in  Sin,  and  yet,  by  a  Round 
of  external  Duties,  be  fecured  from  Damnation   at   laft. 
And  fo  they  have,  like  the  Pharifees  of  old,  (Mat.  5,)  de- 
ilroyed  the  Law  by  their  Abatements.  And  now  the  Law, 
only  by  which  is  the  Knowledge  of  Sin,  being  thus  laid 
afide,  they  are  ignorant  of  their  finful,  guilty,  helplefs,  un 
done  Eftate  •,  and  fo  are  infenfible  of  their  Need  of  the 
fovereign  Grace  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  to  lave  them, 
and  fancy  they  are  good-natured  enough  to  turn  to  God  of 
their  own  Accord.     And  having  imbibed  fuch  Notions  of 
'    Religion,  they  eafily  fee  that  the  better  Sort  of  Heathen 

Cfor  Subftance  the  fame  Religion  with  themielves,  and 
K  therefore 


130         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

therefore  have  equalCharity  for  them.  Not  being  really  fen- 
fible  of  theirNeed  of  Gofpel  -Grace  for  themfelves,they  have 
lull  Charity  for  the  Heathen,  who  never  fo  much  as  heard 
of  it.  But  what  I  have  laid  is  diffident,  I  think,  to  clear 
the  Juftice  of  God  in  his  Law,  and  the  Grace  of  God  in 
the  Gofp.el,  and  iweep  away  this  Refuge  of  Lies,  by  which 
fo  many  gladly  quiet  their  Confciences, and  wofully  deceive 
their  own  Souls.  However,  of  thefe  Things  we  mall  ftill 
have  fbmething  more  afterwards. 

Thus  we  have  gone  thro*  what  was  propofed,  have  con- 
fidered  what  was  implied  in  Love  to  God,  and  from  what 
Motives  we  are  to  love  him,  and  what  Meafure  of  Love  is 
required.  And  ail  that  has  been  faid  can't'  poffibly  be 
fum'd  up  in  fewer  or  plainer  Words  than  thefe,  'Thoujhalt 
love  tbe  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  Heart ,  and  with  all  thy 
Soul,  with  all  thy  Mind,  and  with  all  thy  Strength.  This  is 
thcjirft  and  great  Commandment;  in  Conformity  whereunto 
the  firft  and  great  Part  of  Religion  does  confift.  And  the 
Jecond  which  is  like  unto  it,  being  the  Foundation  of  the 
other  half  of  (this  Part  of)  Religion  (now  under  Confidera- 
tion,)  is,  Thou  /halt  love  thy  Neighbour  as  thy  f elf .  Which 
is  what  we  are,  in  the  next  Place,  to  proceed  to  a  Confi- 
deration  of. 

SECTION     IV. 
Of  Love  to  our  Neighbour. 

II.  tfkoujhall  love  thy  Neighbour  as  thy  felf. —  In  which 
Words  we  have,  (i.)  the  Duty  required.  Thou  Jhdt  love. 
(2.)  The  original,  natural  Ground  and  Reafon  ot  it  inti 
mated  -,  fby  Neighbour.  WhichName  given  to  our  Fellow- 
Men,  may  lead  us  to  confider  them,  as  being  what  they  are 
in  themfelv&,  and  as  fuftaining  fomeKind  of  Character  and 
Relation,  with  Regard  to  us.  (3.)  The  Rule  and  Standard 
by  which  our  Love  to  our  Neighbour  is  to  be  regulated ; 
As  thy  felf.  Here  therefore  we  may  confider, what  is  implied 
in  Love  to  our  Neighbour,  from  what  Motives  we  are  to 
love  him,  and  by  what  Standard  our  Love  is  to  be  regulat 
ed,  as  to  its  Nature  and  Meafure. 

FIRST, 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits*   131 

FIRST,  Let  us  confider  what  is  implied  in  that  .Love  ta 
cur  Neighbour*,  which,  by  the  Law  of  God,  is  required  of 
us.  And  in  general,  it  is  prefuppofed,  or  implied,  that  we 
have  a  right  Temper  of  Mind,  an  upright,  impartial,  can 
did,  benevolent  Temper,  even  toPerfecticn,without  the  leaft 
Tinclure  of  any  Thing  to  the  contrary.  For  without  this 
we  fhall  not,  we  cannot,  view  our  Neighbours  in  a  true 
Light,  nor  think  of  them,  nor  judge  of  them,  nor  feel  to 
wards  them,  exactly  as  we  ought.  A  wrong  Temper,  a 
felfiih,  partial,  uncandid,  cenforious,  carping,  bitter,  ftingy* 
proud  Temper,  will  unavoidably  give  a  wrong  Turn  to  all 
our  Thoughts  of,  and  Feeling  towards,  our  Neighbours  : 
as  is  manifeft  from  the  Nature  of  the  Thing,  and  from'uni- 
verfal  Experience.  Solomon  obferves,  that  as  a  Man  think- 
etl\  fo  is  he.  And  it  is  as  true,  that  as  a  Man  is,  fo  he 
thinketh.  For  out  of  the  Heart,  the  Temper  and  Difpofi- 
tion  of  the  Man,  proceed  his  Thoughts  of,  and  Feelings 
towards,  both  Peribns  and  Things  ;  according  to  our  Sa 
viour,  Mat.  12.  33,  34,  35.  An  upright,  therefore  impar 
tial,  candid,  -benevolent  Temper,  to  Perfection,  without 
the  leaft  Tincture  of  any  Thing  to  the  contrary,  is  prefup- 
pofed  and  implied  in  the  Love  required  •,  as  being,  in  the 
Nature  of  Things,  abfolutely  neceffary  thereto.  We  muft 
have  a  right  Temper,  and  under  the  Influence  thereof,  be 
perfectly  in  a  Difpofition,  to  view  our  Neighbours  in  a 
right  Light,  and  think  and  judge  of  them,  and  be  affected 
towards  them,  as  we  ought,  i.  e.  Vo  love  them  as  curfelves. 

Particularly, 

i.  There  is  a  certain  Efteem  and  Value  for  our  Fellow- 
Men,  which  upon  fundry  Accounts  is  their  Due,  that  is 
implied  in  this  Love.  There  are  valuable  Things  in  Man 
kind.  Some  have  one  Thing,  and  fome  another.  Some 
haveGifts,  and  fome  have  Grace.  Some  have  five  Talents, 
and  fome  two,and  fome  one.  Some  are  worthy  of  a  greater 
Efteem,  and  fome  lefs,  conlidered  merely  as  they  be  in 
themfelves.  And  then  fome  are  by  God  let  in  a  higher 
Station  and  fome  in  a  lower,  fuftaining  various  Characters 
and  ftanding  in  various  Relations.  As  Magiftrates  and 
Subjects,Minifters  and  People,  Parents  and  Children,  Mai 
ters  and  Servants,  &c.  And  there  is  a  certain  Efteem  ;•:;  J 

K   2  Rr.. 


.. 

132          True  Religion  ^delineated       Dis.  I. 

Refpect  due  to  every  one  in  all  Stations.  Now,  with  a 
difmterefled  Impartiality,  and  with  a  perfect  Candour  and 
a  hearty  Good-will,  ought  we  to  view  the  various  Excel 
lencies  of  our  Neighbours,  and  confider  their  various  Sta 
tions,  Characters  and  Relations,  and  in  our  Hearts  we 
ought  to  give  every  one  their  due  Honour,and  their  proper 
Place  ,  being  perfectly  content,for  ourownParts,tobe  and 
act  in  our  own  Sphere,  where  God  has  placed  us  \  and  by 
ourFellow-Mortals  to  bs  confidered,  as  being  juft  what  we 
are.  And  indeed,  this,  for  Subflance,  is  the  Duty  of  every 
one  in  the  whole  Syftem  of  intelligent  Creatures.  As  for 
God  moil  high,  the  Throne  is  his  proper  Place,  and  all 
his  intelligent  Creatures  have  their  proper  Places,  both 
with  Refpect  to  God,  and  with  Refpect  to  one  another, 
which  Places  every  one  ought  to  take  and  to  acquiefce  in 
with  all  their  Hearts.  We  have  an  Inftance  of  this  Temper 
to  a  good  Degree  in  David.  He  was  fenfible  that  Saul  was 
the  Lord's  Anointed^r^  that  it  became  him  to  render  Ho 
nour  to  whom  Honour  is  due,  and  Fear  to  whom  Fear, 
and  his  Heart  was  tender.  Hence  Bavif.s  Heart  fmote  him, 
becaufe  he  had  cut  off  SauTs  Skirt,  i  Sam.  24.  5.  This  Tem 
per  will  naturally  difpofe  us  to  feel  and  conduct  right*  to 
wards  our  Superiours,  Inferiours  and  Equals ;  And  fo  lay 
a  iblid  Foundation  for  the  Performance  of  *ill  relative  Du 
ties.  The  contrary  to  all  this,  is  a  proud  &  conceited  Tem- 
jper,attended  with  a  Difpbfition  to  defpife  Superiours,  fcorn 
Equals,  and  trample  upon  Inferiours  :  A  Temper  to  over 
value  themfelves  &  their  Friends  &  Party,  and  to  underva 
lue  and  defpife  all  others.  Such  do  not  confider  Perfons 
and  Things  as  being  what  they  are,  and  think  and  judge 
and  be  affected  and  act  accordingly.  Nor  do  they  confider, 
or  regard  the  different  Stations  in  which  Mea  are  fet  by 
God,  or  the  Characters  they  fuftain  by  divine  Appointment. 
They  are  not  governed  by  the  Reafon  of  Things,  ,and  a 
Senfe  of  what  is  right  and  fit ;  but  by  their  own  Corrup 
tions.  This  was  the  Cafe  with  Korab  and  his*  Company, 
when  they  rofe  up  againft  Mofes  and  Aaron^  and  faid,  Te 
take  top  much  upon  you,  feeing  all  the  Congregation  are  koly\ 
every  one  of  them ,  and  the  Lord  is  among  them.  Num.  i^-  3- 
Pride  makes  Superiors  fcornful  in  their  Temper,  and 

tyrannical 


V 

and  dijlinguljbedfrwn  all  Counterfeits.  133 

tyrannical  in  their  Government  \  and  Pride  makes  Inferi 
ors  envious  in  their  Temper  and  ungovernable  in  their 
Lives ;  and  it  makes  Equals  jealous,  unfriendly,  contenti 
ous  :  In  aWord,  it  lays  a  Foundation  for  the  Neglect  of  aJl 
relative  Duties,  and  for  a  general  Difcord  and  Confufion 
among  Mankind. 

2.  We  ought  not  only  to  confider,  efteem  and  refpect 
our  fellow-Men,  as  being  what  they  are,  and  with  a  perfect 
Impartiality  give  them  their  Due,  in  our  very  Hearts,  ao 
cording  to  what  they  are,  and  to  the  Stations  they  Hand  in, 
being  perfectly  content,  for  our  own  Parts,  with  the  Place 
which  God  has  allotted  to  us  in  the  Syftem,  and  to  be  and 
act  in  our  own  proper  Sphere,  and  willing  to  be  confider- 
ed  by  others  as  being  juft  what  we  are  :    but  it  is  far* 
ther  implied  in  the  Love  required,  that  we  be  perfectly  be« 
nevolent  towards  them,  i.  e.  That  we  confider  their  Welfare 
and  HappincfS)  as  to  Body  and  Soul,  as  to  Time  and  Eter 
nity,  as  being  what  it  really  is,  and  are  (  according  to  the 
Meafure  of  our  natural  Capacities)  thoroughly  fenfible  of 
its  Value  and  Worth,  and  are  difpofed  to  be  affected  and 
a&  accordingly,  i.  e.  To  be  tender  of  it,  value  and  pro- 
mete  it,  as  being  what  it  is  ;  to  long  &  labour  and  pray  for 
it ;  and  to  rejoyce  in  their  Profperity,  and  be  grieved  for 
their  Adverfity  ;  and  all  from  a  cordial  Love,  and  genuine 
good- Will.     The  contrary  to   which,  is  a  felfijh  Spirit  j 
whereby  we  are  inclined  only  to  value,  and  feek,  and  re 
joyce  in,  our  own  Welfare  -,  and  not  care  for  our  Neigh 
bour's,  any  further  than  we  are  influenced  by  Self-love  and 
Self-Intereft.     Which  felfifh  Spirit  alfo  lays  a  Foundation 
forEnvy  at  ourNeighbour's  Profperity,  and  hard-heartednefs 
in  the  Time  of  his  Adverfity,  and  inclines  us  to  hurt  his 
Intereft,  to  promote  our  own.     To  love  our  Neighbour  as 
our  felves,  makes  it  natural  to  do  as  we  would  be  done  by  ^ 
but  a  felfiih  Spirit,  makes  it  unnatural. — Malevolence,Malice 
and  Spight  makes  it  even  natural  to  delight  in  our  Neigh 
bour's  Mifery.     And  hence  it  is  that  Revenge  is  fo  fweet, 
and  Backbiting  and  Detraction  fo  agreeable,  in  this  fallen^ 
finful  World. 

3.  I  may  add,  that  fo  far  as  our  Fellow-Men  are  proper 
Objects  of  Delight  and  Complacency  y  fo  far  ought  we  to 

K  3  take 


134        True  Religion  delineated        Di s .  j. 

take  Delight  and  Complacency  in  them.  And  hence  it  is 
that  the  godly  Man  feels  fuch  a  peculiar  Love  to  the  Chil 
dren  of  God,  for  that  Image  of  God  which  he  fees  in  them. 
The  Saints  are,  in  his  Account,  the  Excellent  of  tbc  Earth^ 
in  whom  is  all  his  Delight.  Pfal.  16.  3.  The  godly  Man  is 
of  Chrift's  Temper,  who  laid,  Whofoever  Jhall  do  the  Will  of 
my  Father  'which  is  in  Hea-ven,  the  fame  is  my  Br  other  ^  and 
Sifter,  and  Mother.  Mat.  12.  50.  But  wicked  Men  are  of 
Another  Tafte  •,  and  theThings,  the  Tempers  and  Difpofiti- 
*ions  in  their  Neighbours,  which  to  them  appear  excellent, 
and  upon  the  Account  of  which  they  delight  in  them,  are 
odious  in  God'sSight.  Luk.i6.  15.  Fcrthat  which  is  highly 
efteemed  among  ft  Men^  is  Abomination  in  the  Sight  of  God. 
For  it  is  the  Temper  of  wicked  Men,  not  only  to  do  wick 
edly  themfelves,  but  alfo  to  have  Pleafure  in  others  that  do 
fo  too.  Rom.  1.32.  Thofe  who  are  vain,  or  unclean,  or 
intemperate,  fuit  each  other,  and  take  Delight  in  one  ano 
ther's  Company  :  while  at  the  fame  Time  they  diilafte  and 
difrelifh  thole  Things  among  Mankind,  which  are  truly 

mofl  worthy  our  Delight. In  a  Word,  we  ought  ib  to 

efteem  others,  as  to  be  heartily  difpofed  to  treat  them  with 
all  that  Refpect  which  is  their  Due  •,  and  to  have  fuch  a 
tender  Regard  for  their  Welfare,  as  to  be  perfectly  difpofed, 
in  every  Inftance,  and  in  every  Refpecl:,  to  do  as  we  would 
be  done  by  ;  and  to  take  Notice  of  all  their  good  Proper 
ties,  with  that  entire  Friendlinefs  and  perfect  Candor,  as 
may  difpofe  us  to  take  all  that  Delight  and  Complacency 
in  them  which  is  fit.  In  order  unto  all  which,it  is  requifite, 
that  we  be  perfectly  free  from  any  Tincture  of  Pride,  Sel- 
fifhnefs,  &c.  and  have  our  Hearts  full  of  Humility,  Bene 
voknce,  Candour  and  Goodnels. 

And  now, 

SECONDLY.  Ihe  Motives  by  which  we  are  to  be  influenced? 
thus  to   love  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves,  are  fuch  as 

thefe. i.  //  is  right  .and  fit  in  it  felf.     As  the  Apoflle 

exhorting  Children  to  obey  their  Parents  in  the  Lord,  ufes 
this  Motive,  For  this  is  right.  Eph.6.  i.  The  Ground  and 
Reafon  of  God's  requiring  of  us  to  love  our  Neighbours 
as  our  felves,  is  becaufe  it  is  in  its  own  Nature  right  that 
we  fliould  >  and  this  ought  therefore  to  move  and  influence 

us 


and  dijiinguijbed from  all  Counterfeits.   135 

us'to  do  fb.  There  is  the  fame  gcneralRtefon.  why  I  fliould 
love  my  Neighbour,  as  why  I  fhould  love  my  felf.  Lovely 
Tnings  are  as  worthy  of  being  loved  in  him,    as  in  me  ; 
and  therefore  by  me  ought  in  all  Reafon  to  be  loved  as 
much.     There  is   the  fame  Reafon  why  my  Neighbour 
mould  be  efteemed  as  being  what  he  is,  and  according  to 
the  Station  he  ilands  in,  as  that  I  mould.     To  efteem.my 
felf  above  my  Neighbour,    merely  becaufe   I  am  my  felf  , 
without  any  other  Reafon,  is  unfit  and  wrong,  atfirft  Sight. 
vSo  to  admire  my  Children,  my  Friends,  my  Party,  as  if 
there  were  none  fuch,  merely  becaufe  they  are  mine,  is  un- 
reafonable  and  abfurd.     My  very  woril  Enem/ ought,   by 
me,  to  be  tonlidered  and   efteemed,  as  being  what  he  is, 
with  an  Impartiality  perfectly  difmterefted,  as  well  as  my 
very  beft  Friend.  Good  Properties  are  not  at  all  the  better, 
merely  for  belonging  to  me,  or  to  my  Friends  •,  or  the 
worfe,  for  belonging  to  my  Neighbour,  or  my  Enemy. 
But  it  is  right  1  ihould  view  Things  as  they  be,  and  be 
afFedted  towards  them  accordingly.    Indeed,  I  ought  to  be 
ib  far  from  aDifpofition  to  efteem  my  felf  above  others,and 
to  be  prejudiced  in  my  own  Favour  (iince  I  am  capable  of 
a  much  more  full  and  intimate  Acquaintance  with  my  own 
Sins  and  Follies  than  with  the  Sins  and  Follies  of  others,) 
that  I  ought  rather  to  be  habitually  difpofed  to  prefer 
others  inHonour  above  my  feif.  Rom.  12.  10.  Phil.  2.  3. — 
And  fo  as  to  my  Neighbour's  Welfare  and  Happinefs* 
there  is  the  fame  general  Reafon  why  it  Ihould  be  dear  to 
me,  as  that  my  own  fhould.  His  Welfare  is  worth  as  much, 
in  it  felf,  as  mine.     It  is  as  worthy  therefore,  to  be  valued* 
efteemed,  fought  after  and  rejoyced  in,  as  mine    It  is  true, 
my  Welfare  is  more  immediately  put  under  my  Care   by 
God  Almighty,  and  fo  it  is  fit  it  fhould,  by  me,  be  more 
efpecially  taken  Care  of.     Not  that  it  is  of  greater  Worth,, 
for  being  mine  j  for  it  is  not :  but  only  becaufe  it  is  more 
immediately  put  under  my  Care  by  God  Almighty.    The 
fame  may  be  faid  of  the  Welfare  of  my  Family,  &c.  But 
ftill  my  Neighbour's  Welfare  is  in  it  felf  as  precious  and 
dear  as  mine,  and  he  is  my  Neighbour,  he  is  Fleih  and 
Blood  as  well  as  I,  and  wants  to  be  happy  as  well  as  I,  and 
is  my  Brother  by  Mam  -,  we  are  all  hut  one  great  Family, 

the 


136          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

the  Offspring  of  the  fame  common  Parents  -,  we  fhould 
therefore  all  be  affected  as  Brethren  towards  one  another, 
love  a$  Brethren,  and  feek  each  others  Welfare  moft  ten 
derly  and  affectionately,  as  being  fenfible  how  dear  and 
precious  the  Welfare  of  each  other  is.  This  is  perfectly 
right.  And  fo  we  fhould  bear  one  another's  Burthens, 
mourn  with  them  that  mourn,  and  rejoyce  with  them  that 
rej6yce,  as  being  tender-hearted,  cordial  Friends  to  every 
Body.  And  this  from  a  real  Sight  and  Senfe,  that  fuch  a 
Temper  and  Conduct  is  perfectly  right  and  fit  in  the  Na 
ture  of  Things. And  whereas  there  may  be  feveral 

Things  in  iffy  Neighbour  truly  agreeable,  it  is  evidently 
Right  I  mould  delight  in  thofe  good  Properties,  according 
to  their  real  Worth.  It  is  a  Duty  I  owe  to  my  Neighbour 
the  Pofleflbr,  and  to  God  the  Giver,  of  thofe  good  Gifts. 

2.  But  that  I  fhould  thus  love  my  Neighbour  as  my  felf, 
is  not  only  in  it's  own  Nature  right,  but  is  alfo  enjoined  u-p- 
cn  me  by  the  Law  and  Authority  of  God,  the  fupr  erne  Gover- 
nour  of  the  World.     So  that  from  Love  to  God,  and  from 
a  Senfe  of  his  Right  to  me,  and  Authority  over  me,  I  ought, 
out  of  Obedience  to  him,  to  love  my  Neighbour  as  my  felf, 
and  always,  and  in  all  Refpects,  to  do,  as  I  would  be  done 
by,     And  not  to^do  fo,  is  not  only  to  injure  my  Neighbour, 
but  to  rebel  againft  God,  my  King  and  Governour,  and  fo 
becomes  an  infinite  Evil.     Hence,  it  is  charged  upon  Da- 
•Did)  that  by  his  Conduct  refpecting  Uriah^  he  had  defpifed, 
the  Lord)    and  defpifed  the  Commandment  of  the  Lord  •,    and 
this  is  mentioned  as  the  great  Evil  of  his  Sin.    2  Sam.  12* 
9,  10.  For  he  had  not  merely  murdered  one  of  his  Fellow- 
Worms,  but  rifen  up  in  Rebellion  againft  the  moft  high 
God  :  And  practically  faid,  "  I  care  not  for  God,  nor  his 
Authority,  I  love  my  Luft,  and  will  gratify  it  for  all  him." 
And  therefore  when  David  was  bro't  to  true  Repentance, 
the  native  Language  of  his  Soul,  to  God,  was,  Againft 
thee,  thee  only  have  I  finned,    Pfal.  51.  4.    'Tis   Rebellion 
therefore,  'tis  a  defpifing  the  Lord,    'tis   an  infinite  Evil* 
not  to  love  ourNeighbours  as  our  felves. 

3.  We  have  not  only  the  Authority,  but  alfo  the  Exam 
ple  ofGod^to  influence  us  to  this  great  Duty  of  Love  and  Bene 
volence*    God  is  Love  >  he  has  an  infinite  Propenfity  to  do 

Good, 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   137 

Good,  and  that  in  Cafes  where  there  is  no  Motive  from 
without  to  excite  him  -y   yea,  where  there^is  every  Thing 
to  the   contrary.     He    loves   to  make  his   Sun  rile  and 
Rain  fall  upon  the  Evil  and  Unthankful.     He  loves  to  fijl 
the  Hearts  of  all  with  Food  and  Gladnefs  ->   and   to  ftrew 
innumerable  Bleflings  round  a  guilty,  God-hating  World. 
Yea,  out  of  his  great  Goodnefs  he  has  given  his  only  Son 
to  die  for  Sinners,  and  offers  Grace  and  Glory  and  all  good 
Things  thro'  him  :  being  ready  to  pardon  and   receive  to 
Favour  any  poor  guilty  Wretch,  that  will  repent  and  re 
turn  to  him  thro'  Jefus  Chrift.     And  now  for  us,  after  all 
this,  not  to  love  our  Fellow-Men,  yea,  not  to  love  our  very 
worft  Enemies,  is  ve*y  vile.     Since  God  has  fo  loved  us,  we 
ought  furely  to  love  one  another,    i  Joh.  4.11.     Since  he 
has  treated  us  his  Enemies  fo  kindly,  we  ought  now  as  dear 
Children  to  imitate  him,  and  love  our  Enemies,  and  bkfs  them 
that  curfc  us,  and  do  Good  to  them  that  hate  us,  and  fray  for 
them  which  defpitefully  ufeus,  andperfecute  us,  Mat.  5.  44,45. 
The  infinite  Beauty  in  the  Goodnefs  of  the  divine  Nature, 
lays  us  under  infinite  Obligations  to  imitate  it,  in  theTem- 
per  of  our  Minds,  and  in  our  daily  Conduct.     And  'tis  In 
gratitude,  'tis  a  Shame,  'tis  abominable Wickednefs,  not  to 
love  our  worft  Enemies,  and  forgive  the  greateft  Injuries. 
Since  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  has   treated  us 
Worms  and  Rebels  as  he  has,  one  would  think,  that  after 
all  this,  we  fhould  never  be  able  to  find  a  Heart  to  hate  or 
injure  any  Mortal.     Surely  we  are  under  very  ftrong  Obli 
gations  to  accept  that  divine  Exhortation,  in  Eph.4/3t,32. 
Let  all  Bitternefs,  and  Wrath,  and  Anger,  and  Clamour,  ani 
evil  Speaking  be  put  away  from  among  you,  with  all  Malice  : 
and  be  ye  kind  one  to  another,   tender-hearted,  forgiving  one 
another,  even  as  God  for  Chrift'sfake  hath  forgiven  you.  And 
(Chap.  5.  $.  i.)  Be  ye  Followers  of  God  as  dear  Children. — 
Befides  there  are  many  additional  Obligations  to  Love  and 
Benevolence,  and  to  peculiar  Refped  &  Kindnefs  between 
Hufband  w&dJVife,  Parents  andCbiifren,  Friend  &Fricnd,&c. 
arifing  from  their  mutualRelations,&Dependences,  &  from 
fpecialKindneffes  already  received,or  hoped  for.  And  now, 
THIRDLY,  As'  to  the  Standard,  by  which  cur  Love  is  to 
be  regulated,  viz.  Thou  {halt  love  thy  Neighbour  as  thy 


138         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

felf.     In  order  righly  to  underhand  it,  we  mufc,  — T.  Place 
ourfelves,  fenfibly,  as  in  the  Prcfence  of  the  infinitely  great 
and  glorious  God,  before  whom  all   the  Nations  of  the 
Earth  are  nothing  and  lefs  than  nothing  and  vanity,  and  in 
the  Light  of  God's  Greatnefs  and  Glory,  we   muit  take  a 
view  of  our  own  Littlenefs  and  Deformity,    and  fo  learn 
how  we  ought  to  be  affected  towards  our  felves  compared 
with  God.     And  as  we  ought  to  love  our  felves,  fo  ought 
we   to  love  our  Neighbour.     And   now  in  general,    we 
ought  to  be  difpos'd  towards  God,    as  being  what  he 
is,  and  towards  our  Selves  and  Neighbours,  as  being  what 
we  and  they  be.     Particularly,  God'sJHfonour  in  the  World 
ought  to  appear  infinitely  more  valuable  and  precious  than 
our  own,  and  therefore  our  own  ought  to  feem  as  a  Thing 
of  no  Worth  compared  with  his,  and  as  fuch,  to  be  freely 
parted  with  when  God's  Honour  calls  for  it.     And  as  free 
fhould  we  be,  to  fee  the  Reputation  of  our  deareit  Friends 
given  up  for  God's  fake.     The  fame  may  be  faid  of  our 
worldly  Intereft  and  of  all  our  worldly  Comforts,  \  when 
compared  with  God's  Intereft  and  the  Intereft  of  his  Son's 
Kingdom  in  the  World,  and  of  the  worldly  Interefts  and 
Comforts  of  our  clearer!  Friends.      All,   both  ours,  and 
their's,is  comparatively  nothing,&  ought  to  appear  fo  to  us. 
Yea,  our  Lives  and  their  Lives,   are  juft  the  fame  Things, 
comparatively,  of  no  Worth,  and  to  be  parted  with  in  a 
Moment,  without  the  leaft  Reluctancy,  when  God's  Ho 
nour,  or  Intereil  calls  therefor. — 2.  In  order  to  a  right  un~ 
derftanding  of  this  Standard,we  muftalfo  obferve,  that  our 
Love  to  our  felves  is  habitual,  unfeigned,  fervent,  attive  and 
permanent.     So  alfo  mud  be  ourLove  to  ourNeighbours. — 
3.  A  regular  Self-love  refpects  all  our  Interefts,  but  efpe- 
cially  Gurfpiritual  and  eternal  Intereft.     So  ought  our  Love 
to  our  Neighbours.  —  4.  A  regular  Self-love  naturally 
prompts  us  to  be  concerned  for  our  Welfare   tenderly,  to 
feek  it  diligently  and  prudently,  to  rejoyce  in  it  heartily,  and 
to  be  grieved  for  our  Calamities  Jincerely.     So  ought  our 
Love  to  our  Neighbours  to  prompt  us  to  feel  and  conduct 
with  Regard  to  their  Welfare. — 5.  Self-love  makes  us  take 
an  unfeigned  Pleafure  in  promoting  our  own  Welfare.    We 
don't  think  it  hard,  to  do  fo  much  for  our  feives.  The 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.    139 

fare  we  take  in  promoting  our  Welfare,  rewards  our  Pains. 
The  fame  genuine  kind  of  Love  ought  we  to  have  to  our 
Neighbour  -,  and  ib  to  remember  the  Words  of  the  Lord 
Jefus,  how  he  faid,  It  is  more  blejftd  to  give  than  to  receive. 
— 6.  We  ought  never  to  fpeak  of  our  Neighbour's  Sins, 
or  Weakneffes,  or  any  way  expofe  him  to  Shame  and  Con- 
tempt  in  the  World,  in  any  Cafe  whatlbever,  except  fuch 
wherein  it  would  be  our  Duty  to  be  willing  our  felves  to 
be  fo  expofed  by  him,  were  we  in  his  Circumftances,  and 
he  in  ours.  And  then  we  are  to  do  it,  with  that  fenfible 
Tendernefs  for  him,  that  we  could  reafonably  delire  from 
him,  towards  us,  in  a  like  Cafe. 

Thus  then  we  have  briefly  confidered  the  fecond  great 
Command  of  the  Law,  and  ice  what  that  meaneth,  Thou. 

foalt  love  thy  Neighbour  as  thy  felf. To  love  God  with 

all  our  Heart,  lays  a  Foundation,  and  prepares  the  Way, 
for  us  to  love  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves.  It  removes 
and  takes  away  thole  Things  ^lich  are  contrary  to  this 
Love,  fuch  as  Pride,  Selfilhnerc,  Worldlinefs,  a  narrow, 
flingy,  envious,  revengeful  Temper.  True  Love  to  God 
mor tines  and  kills  theie  Things  at  Root.  And  fecondly^ 
True  Love  to  God  aflimilates  us  to  the  divine  Nature,  and 
makes  us  like  God  in  the  Temper  of  our  Minds.  But  God 
isLove.  And  the  more  we  are  like  God,  the  more  are  our 
Hearts  therefore  framed  toLove  &Beuevolence.  Hetbatdwel- 
leth  in  Love^  divelletb  in  God^  &  God  in  him.  Love  to  God 
iweetens-the  Soul,  &  enlarges  ourHearts  to  love  ourFellow- 
Men.  And  thirdly ,  The  more  we  love  God,  the  more  facred  is 
his  Authority  with  us,  and  the  more  glorious,  amiable  and 
animating  does  his  Example  appear,  and  the  greater  Senle 
have  we  of  our  Obligations  to  Gratitude  to  him  ^  all  which 
tend  jointly  to  influence  us  to  all  Love&  Goodnefs  towards 
our  Neighbours.  So  that,  he  that  knows  God  and  loves 
him,  will  be  full  of  Love  to  Mankind.  And  therefore  be 
that  lovetb  not,  knowetb  not  God^  i  Joh.  4.  8.  —  On  the 
other  Hand,  where  there  is  no  true  Love  to  God,  there  is 
no  true  Love  to  Mankind  •,  but  the  Heart  is  under  the  Go 
vernment  of  Pride,  Seififhnefs,  and  other  Corruptions, 
which  are  contrary  to  Love.  So  that  a  genuine  Love  to 
Mankind  is  peculiar  to  the  godly,  i  Job.  4.  7,  8, 

And 


140        True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

And  now  from  what  has  been  faid,  we  may  evidently  fee, 
thefe  following  Sorts  of  Love  to  our  Neighbour,  are  nei 
ther  of  them  the  Love  required,  however  nearly  they  may 
ibmetimes  feem  to  refemble  it. 

1.  What  is  commonly  called  natural  CcmpaJJlon^  is  not 
the  Love  here  required.      For  the  moil  wicked  profane 
Man  may  be  of  a  very  compaffionate  Temper  :     So  may 
the  proud,  the  felfifh,  the  envious,  the  malicious  &  fpight- 
ful  Man  :  As  Experience  plainly  Ihews.     And  befides,  na- 

'  tufal  Companion  does  not  take  its  Rife  from  any  Senfe  of 
the  Rectitude  and  Fitnefs  of  Things,  or  any  Regard  to 
the  divine  Authority,  but  merely  from  the  animal  Conili- 
tution  :  And  Men  feem  to  be  properly  paffive  in  it.  It  is 
much  the  fame  Thing  in  the  humane,  as  in  the  brutal  Na 
ture.  It  is  therefore  a  different  Thing  from  the  Love  here 
required. 

2.  The  fame  may  be  faid  of  \fhat  is  called  Good-Nature. 
It  arifes  merely  from  animal  Conilitution,    and  is  not  the 
Love  here  required.     Foe  fuch  a  Man  is  not  influenced  in 
his  Love  by  the  Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things,  or  the  Au 
thority  of  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  or  from  a 
Confideration  of  the  infinite  Goodnefs  of  the  divine  Na 
ture,  any  more  than  the  Beads  are,  who  are  fome  of  them 
much  better  tempered  than  others.     So  that  this  Sort  of 
Love  has  nothing  of  the  Nature  of  Religion  in  it.     And 
it  is  evident  that  many  wicked  &  ungodly  Men  have  much 
of  this  natural  Good-temper,  who  yet  have  no  Regard  to 
God  or  Duty.     Yea,  a  fecret  Grudge  againft  a  Neighbour, 
reigning  in  the  Heart,   may  be  in  the  good-natured  Man, 
confiftent  with  his  Good-nature  ;    but  it  is  not  confiftent 
with  the  Love  here  required.     And  therefore  they  are  evi 
dently  two  Things. 

3.  That  Love  which  is  commonly  Called  natural  Affec- 
tlon^  is  not  the  Love  here  required.     It  is  true,  that  Man 
is  worfe  than  the  Beafts,  who  is  without  natural  Affection, 
for  they  evidently  are  not :  but  every  Man  is  not  a  Saint, 
becaufe  he  has  natural  Affection.     And  it  is  true,  we  owe 
a  peculiar  Love,  according  to  God's  Law, to  our  Relatives ; 
but  natural  Affection  is  not  it.  For  there  are  many  ungodly 
Wretches,  who  care  neither  for  God  nor  his  Law,  who  have 

as 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  1 4 1 

as  muck  natural  Affe&ion  as  any  in  the  World.  Yea,  it 
is  a  common  Thing  for  ungodly  Parents  to  make  very  Idols 
of  their  Children  :  for  them,  they  go  and  run  and  work 
and  toil,  by  Night  &  Day,  to  the  utter  neglect  of  God  and 
their  own  Souls.  And  furely  this  can't  be  the  very  Love 
which  God  requires.  And  befides,  as  natural  Affection  na 
turally  prompts  Parents  to  love  their  Children  more  than 
God,  and  be  more  concerned  for  their  Welfare  than  for  his 
Glory,  fo  it  is  commonly  a  Bar  in  the  Way  of  their  loving 
others  as  they  ought.  They  have  nothing  to  give  to  the 
Poor  and  Needy,  to  the  Widow  and  Fatherlefs  :  they  muft 
lay  up  all  for  they:  Children.  Yea,  many  Times  they  rake 
and  fcrape, cheat  and  defraud,  and  like  mere  Earth- Worms 
bury  themfelves  in  the  World  \  and  all  this,  for  the  fake 
of  their  Children.  And  yet  all  this  Love  to  their  Children 
does  not  prompt  them  to  take  Care  of  their  Souls.  They 
never  teach  their  Children  to  pray,  nor  inftruct  them  to 
feek  after  God.  They  love  their  Bodies,  but  care  little  for 
their  Souls.  Their  Love  to  the  one  is  beyond  all  Bounds, 
but  to  the  other  is  little  or  nothing.  'Tis  an  irrational 
Fondnefs,  and  not  the  Love  required.  Indeed  if  Parents 
loved  their  Children  as  they  ought  to  do,  their  Love  would 
effectually  influence  them  to  take  Care  of  their  Souls,  and 
do  all  their  Duty  to  them  -,  which  natural  Affection  evi 
dently  does  not.  And  therefore  it  is  not  that  Love,  with 
which  God  in  his  Law  requires  Parents  to  love  their  Chil 
dren.  Nor  indeed  does  there  feem  to  be  any  more  of  the 
Nature  of  true  Virtue  or  real  Religion  in  the  natural  Af- 
feftion  of  Men,  than  there  is  in  .the  natural  Affeftion  of 
Beafts  :  both  refulting  merely  from  animal  Nature  and  a 
natural  Self  love,  without  any  Regard  to  the  Reafon  and 
Nature  of  Things. 

4.  Nor  is  that  the  Love  here  required,  which  arifes 
merely  from  a  Party-Spirit.  Becaufe  fuch  a  one  is  of  their 
Party,  and  on  their  Side,  and  loves  thofe  whom  they  love, 
and  will  plead,  ftand  up,  and  contend  for  them,  and  main 
tain  their  Caufe.  For  fuch  a  Love  is  pregnant  with  Hatred 
fcnd  Ill-Will  to  every  Body  elfe.  And  nothing  will  humour 
and  gratify  it  more  than  to  fee  the  oppofite  Party  hated, 
revijed  and  blackned,  And  befides,  fuch  a  Love  is  nothing 

but 


142          True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

but  Self-love  in  another  Shape.  Te  bcrjc  heard  that  it  hath 
beenfaid,  Thou  foalt  kve  thy  Neighbour,  and  bate  thine  Ene 
my  :  But  I  fay  unto  you,  Love  your  Enemies.  Mat.  5. 43, 44. 
5.  ,Nor  is  that  the  Love  here  required,which  arifes  mere 
ly  from  ethers  Love  to  me.  As  if  a  rich  Man  is  kind  and 
bountiful  to  poor  People  all  around  him,  and  appears  to 
love  and  pity  them  •,  they,  tho'  almoft  ever  fo  wicked,  will 
feel  a  Sort  of  Love  to  him.  But  if  this  rich  Man  happens 
to  be  a  civil  Magiilrate,  and  is  called  to  fit  as  a  Judge  in 
their  Cafe,  and  paffes  Judgment  againlt  them  for  their 
Crimes,  now  their  Love  dies,  and  Enmity  and  Hatred  and 
Revenge  begin  to  ferment  in  their  Hearts.  In  this  Cafe, 
it  is  not  the  Man  they  love,  but  rather  his  Kindneffes.  And 
their  feeming  Love,  is  nothing  but  a  certain  Operation  of 

Self-love. And  indeed  however  full  of  Love  Perform 

may  feem  to  be  to  theirNeighbours,  if  ail  arifes  merely  from 
Self-love&v  is  for  Self-endsinothmg  is  genuine :  and  that  whe 
ther  Things  worldly,  or  Things  religious,  occafion  their 
Love.  A  poor  Man  will  love  and  honour  thofe  that  are 
rich  ;  if  he  hopes  to  get  any  Thing  by  it.  A  rich  Man 
may  be  kind  to  the  Poor,  with  an  Eye  to  his  Credit.  An 
awakened  Sinner  will  love  an  awakening  Preacher,in  hopes 
he  mall  be  converted  by  his  Minifhy.  A  Minifter  may 
feem  to  mew  a  World  of  Love  to  the  Souls  of  Sinners, 
and  all  with  an  Eye  to  Applaufe.  Hypocrites  will  love  a 
godlyMinifter,  fo  long  as  he  thinks  well  of  them,  and  hap 
pens  not  to  detect  their  hypocrify  in  his  publick  Preaching. 
Even  the  Galatians  were  very  full  of  Love  to  Paul  for  a 
w^ile,  fo  long  as  they  thought  he  loved  them,  and  had 
been  the  Initrument  of  their  Conversion  •,  yet  afterwards 
they  loft f their  Love,and  turned  his  Enemies,  for  his  telling 
them  the  Truth.  While  others,  who  loved  him  traly  for 
what  he.  was,  were  more  and  more  knit  unto  him,  for  thofe 
very  Dodtrines  for  which  the  Galatians  hated  him.  If  ye 
love  them  'which  love  you,  what  Reward  have  ye  ?  Do  not 
the  Publicans  the  fame  ?  Mat.  5.46.  There  is  no  Virtue  nor 
Religion  in  fuch  a  Kind  of  Love,and  it  is  evidently  not  the 
Thing  required  by  the  divineLaw.  And  indeed  it  is  aThing 
as  difficult  and  as  contrary  to  corrupt  Nature,  for  us  genu 
inely  to  love  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves,  as  it  is  to  love 

God 


a nd  diftinguifoed from  all  Counterfeits   143 

God  with  all  our  Hearts.  And  there  is  as  little  true  Love 
between  Man  and  Man,  as  there  is  between  Men  and  God, 
It  is  tor  our  Intcreft  to  love  God,  and  it  is  for  our  Intereft 
to  love  our  Neighbours,  and  therefore  Men  make  a:  if  they 
did  fo,  when  really  there  is  nothing  genuine  and  true.  And 
at  the  Day  of  Judgment,  when  a  v/icked  World  Comes  to 
God's  Bar,  and  their  pail  Condud  is  all  brought  to  Light, 
nothing  will  be  more  manifeft  than  that  there  never  was 
a  Spark  of  true  Love  to  God  or  Man  in  their  Hearts,  but 
that  from  firft  to  laft  they  were  acled  and  governed  either 
by  their  animal  Constitution,- or  elfe  merely  by  Self-love. 

6.  I  may  add,  nor  is  that  the  Love  required^  when  Men 
love  others  merely  bec&nje  they  are  as  bady  find  fo  jufi  like 
themfehes.  Nature  and  Self-Love  will  prompt  the  worfh 
of  Men  to  do  fo.  The  vain  and  profligate  love  fuch  as  are 
as  bad  as  themfelves.  And  from  the  fame  Principle  erro 
neous  Perfons  have  a  peculiar  Regard  for  one  another.  And 
the  Enthufiaft  and  blazing  Hypocrite  may  from  the  fame 
Principle  feem  to  be  full  of  Love  to  their  own  Sort,  tho* 
full  of  Malice  .againft  all  others.  And  they  may  think  that 
it  is  the  Image  of  God  which  they  love  in  their  Brethren  r 
when  indeed  it  is  only  the  Image  of  themfelves.  Perfons  of 
a  bad  ^afte  may  greatly  delight  in  thofc  Things  in  others, 
which  are  very  odious  in  the  Sight  of  God.  But  furely  this 
can't  be  the  Love  required.  And  yet  by  this  very  Thing 
many  a  Hypocrite  thinks  himfelf  a  true  Saint. 

Thus  we  fee  what  it  is  to  love  God  with  all  our 
Hearts,  and  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves,  and  fee  thefe  two 
diflinguifhed  from  their  Counterfeits.  And  fo  we  have 
gone  thro'  the  two  great  Commands  of  the  Law,  in  a  Con 
formity  to  which,  the  very  Efience  of  Religion  does  much 
confift. 

And  now  it  is  added  by  our  Saviour,  Upon  thefe  two  hang 
all  the  Law  and  the  Prophets. The  Law  and  the  Pro 
phets,  i.  e.  the  infpired  Writings  of  the  Old-Teftament 
confider  thefe  two  Maxims,  that  we  muft  love  God  with  all 
ourHearts^and  our  Neighbours  as  curfelves,  as  firft  and  Foun 
dation-Principles  :  and  all  the  various  Duties  which  they 
urge,  reflecting  God  and  our  Fellow-Men,are  but  fo  many 
Inferences  and  Deductions  from  them, 

God 


144          *Irue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

God  mufl  be  loved  with  all  tbe  Heart.- And  therefore 

we  muft  make  him  our  God  and  none  elfe,  according  to 
the  firft  Command. Worihip  him  according  to  his  ap 
pointed  Inflitutions,  agreable  to  the  fecond  Command. — With 
becoming  Reverence  &  Devotion,  according  to  the  third. — 
And  that  in  all  fuch  fet  Times  as  he  hath  appointed  in  his 
Word,  according  to  the  fourth. 

Our  Neighbour  muft  be  Icved  as  our  f elves.  —  And  there 
fore  we  muft  render  Honour  to  whom  Honour  is  due,  ac 
cording  to  the  fftb  Command.  And  be  tender  of  our 
Neighbour's  Life,  Chaftity,  Eftate  &  good  Name,  accord 
ing  to  theyfo/^,  feventb,  eighth  and  ninth  Commands.  And 
rejoyce  in  his  Welfare  and  Profperity,  according  to  the 
tenth.  And  in  all  Things  treat  him  as  we  could  reafonably 
defire  him  to  treat  us,  according  to  that  golden  Rule  of 
JefusChrifl,  in  Matth.  7.  12. 

And  as  all  the  Duties  we  owe  to  God  and  Man,  are  thus 
in  the  Theory  ^  but  fo  many  Deductions  neceflarily  flowing 
from  thefe  two  Maxims  orjirft  Principles  \  fo  when  the  Law 
of  God  is  written  in  the  Heart  of  a  Sinner  by  divine  Grace, 
and  put  in  his  inward  Parts  -9  there  will,  from  thefe  two 
Principles,  naturally  flow  all  Duties  to  God  and  his 
Neighbour,  in  his  daily  Practice  :  i.  e.  from  a  Difpofi- 
tion  to  love  God  fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimately,  and 
delight  in  him  fuperlatively,  he  will  naturally  be  inclined 
and  enabled  fmcerely  to  do  all  his  Will  j  to  make  him  his 
GOD,  according  to  the  firft  Command,  to  worfhip  him 
according  to  his  own  Appointments,  with  becoming  Reve 
rence,  and  at  all  fuitable  Times,  according  to  the  reft.  It 
will  be  his  Nature  to  do  all  this,  his  Meat  and  his  Drink, 
and  fo  his  greateft  Delight. —  And  fo  alfo,  from  a  genuine 
Difpofition  to  love  his  Neighbour  as  himfelf,  he  will  be 
naturally  inclined  and  enabled,  in  ^all  Things,  and  at  all 
Times,  lincerely  to  do  as  he  would  be  done  by.  It  will  be 
his  Nature  to  do  fo,  his  Meat  and  his  Drink,  and  fo  his 
greateft  Delight.  Heb.  8.  10.  Job.  15,  14.  i  Job.  2.  3,  4. 
Pfal.  19.  10. 

So  that, as  it  is  irifbeory,  fo'alfoit  isinPraffice  ;  thefe  two 
are  like  the  Seed  that  virtually  contains  the  whole  Plant,  or 
like  the  Root  from,  which  the  wholeTree  grows,  with  all  its 

Branches, 


and diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   145 

Branches  and  Fruit.  And  in  Proportion  as  a  Man  loves 
God  and  his  Neighbour  with  a  genuine  Love,  in  the  fame 
Proportion,  will  his  Inclination  and  Ability  thence  arifing 
be,  to  do  all  thefeDutics.  And  confequently  when  hisLove 
to  God  and  his  Neighbour  arrives  to  Perfcffion,  he  will  be 
perfectly  inclined  and  enabled  to  be  perfeft  in  Holinefs  and 
Righteoufnefs,  and  will  affualfy,  in  all  Things,  perfectly 
conform  to  both  Tables  of  the  Law.  And  it  is  equally 
evident,  that  until  a  Man  has  a  genuine  Love  to  God  and 
his  Neighbour  in  his  Heart,  he  will  have  neither  Inclina 
tion  nor  Ability  (in  a  moral  and  fpiritual  Senfe)  to  perform 
one  Act  of  true  Obedience.  For  as  all  true  Obedience,  ac 
cording  to  the  Law  and  Prophets,  is  to  flow  from  thefe  two 
Principles  \  fo  confequently,  according  to  the  Law  and 
Prophets,  that  is  not  true  Obedience^  which  does  not.  And 
therefore  when  all  a  Man's  Religion,  is  merely  from  Self- 
love,  and  for  Self-ends,  he  cannot  be  faid,  ftrictly  fpeak- 
ing,  to  do  any  Duty  to  God  or  his  Neighbour,  or  obey  or*e 
Command  •,  for  he  only  ferves  himfelf^  and  that  from  a  fu- 
preme  Love  to  himfelf,  which  the  Law  and  the  Prophets 
do  not  require,  butftriffly  forbid,  in  that  they  enjoin  the 
dire  ft  contrary. 

So  that  now,  in  a  few  Words,  we  may  here  fee,  'wherein 
true  Religion  does  confift^  as  it  (lands  diftinguifhed  from  all 
thcfalfe  Religion  in  the  World.  The  godly  Man,  from 
feeing  God  to  be  juft  fuch  a  One  as  he  is,  and  from  a  real 
Senfe  of  his  infinite  Glory  and  Amiablenefs  in  being  fuch, 
is  thereby  influenced  to  love  him  fupremely,  live  to  him  ul 
timately,  and  delight  in  him  fuperlatively :  from  which  in 
ward  Frame  of  Heart ,  he  freely  runs  the  Way  of  God's 
Commands,  and  is  in  his  Element  when  doing  God's  Will. 
He  eats,  he  drinks,  he  works,  he  prays,and  does  all  Things, 
with  a  fingle  Eye  for  God  ;  who  has  placed  him  in  this 
his  World,  allotted  to  him  his  peculiar  Station,  and  point 
ed  out  before  him  all  the  Buiinefs  of  Life  :  always  looking 
to  him  for  all  Things,  and  always  giving  Thanks 
unto  his  Name,  for  all  his  unfpeakable  Goodnefs  to 
a  Wretch  fo  infinitely  unworthy.  And,  with  a  Spirit: 
of  difmterefted  Impartiality  and  genuine  Benevolence, 
-he  views  his  Fellow-Men,  gives  them  their-  Pkccs, 

L  takes 


146        *True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

takes  his  own,  and  loves  them  as  himfeif :  Their  Welfare 
is  dear  to  him  ;  he  is  grieved  at  their  Miieries,  and  rejoyces 
at  their  Mercies,  and  delights  to  do  all  the  Good  he  can,  to 
every  one,  in  the  Place  and  Station  which  God  has  fet  him 
in.  And  he  finds  and  feels  that  this  new  and  divine  Tem- 
fer  is  inwrought  in  his  veryNature  ;  fo  that  inflead  of  a  for 
ced  Religion,  or  a  Religion  merely  by  Fits,  his  very  Heart 
is  habitually  bent  and  inclined  to  fuch  Views  and  Apprehen- 
fions,  to  fuch  an  inward  Temper,  and  to  fuch  an  outward 
Conduct. 

This,  this  is  the  Religion  of  the  Bible,  the  Religion 
which  the  Law  and  the  Prophets,  and  which  Chrift  and  his 
Apoftles  too,  all  join  to  teach  !  The  Religion,  whichChrift 
came  into  the  World  to  recover  Men  unto,  and  to  which 
the  Spirit  of  God  does  actually  recover  every  Believer,  in  a 
greater  or  lefler  Degree.  Thus  thofe  who  are  dead  in  Sin, 
are  quickened,  Eph.  2.1.  Have  the  Law  written  in  their 
Hearts,  Heb.  8.  10.  Are  made  new  Creatures,  all  old  Things 
being  done  away,  and  all  Things  become  new,  2  Cor.  5.  17. 
And  are  effectually  taught  to  deny  all  Vngodlinefs  and  worldly 
Lufts,  and  to  live  fob erly,  righteoufly  and  godly  in  this  prefent 
World,  Tit.  2.  12.  And  fo  ferve  God  without  fear,  inHoli- 
nefs  and  Right eoufnefs,  all  the  Days  of  their  Lives,  Luk. 

*•  74>  75- 

And  this  is  fpecifically  different,  from  every  Sort  of 
falfe  Religion  in  the  World.  For  all  Kinds  of  falfe  Reli 
gion,  however  different  in  other  Things,  yet  all  agree  in 
this,  to  refult  merely  from  a  Principle  of  Self-love,  where 
by  fallen  Men,  being  ignorant  of  God,  are  inclined  to  love 
themfelves  fupremely,  and  do  all  Things  for  themselves  ul 
timately.  All  the  idolatrous  Religion  of  the  heathen 
World,  in  which  fome  took  much  Pains,  had  its  Rife  from 
this  Principle.  They  had  fome  Notion  of  a  future  State, 
of  a  Heaven  and  aHell,  as  well  as  of  temporalRewards  and 
Punifhments,  and  fo  were  moved  by  Hope  and  Fear,  from 
a  Principle  of  Self  love,  to  do  fomething  to  pacify  the 
Anger  of  the  Gods,  and  recommend  themfelves  to  the  Fa 
vour  of  their  Deities.  And  all  the  Superftitions  of  the 
feemingly  devout  Papift,  his  Pater-nofters,  \\\$  Ave  worlds, 
bit  Penances  and  Pilgrimages,  and  endlefs  Toils,  -  ftill  arifc 

from 


.  and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   147 

from  the  fame  Principle.  So  does  all  the  Religiorr  of  For- 
malifts  and  legal  Hypocrites  in  the  reformed  Nations  •,  'tis 
a  flavifh  fear  of  Hell  and  raercenary  hope  of  Heaven,  which, 
from  a  Principle  of  Self-love,  fets  all  a  going.  Yea,  the 
ev;irLgeiicalHypocrite,\vho  mightily  talks  of  fupernatural  di 
vine  Light,  of  the  Spirit's  Operations,  of  Converfion,  and 
a  new  Nature,  ftill  alter  all,  has  no  higher  Principle  in  him 
than  Self-love.  His  Confcience  has  been  greatly  enlight- 
ned,  and  his  Heart  terrified,  and  his  Corruptions  ftunned  : 
and  he  has,  by  the  Delufions  of  Satan,  obtained  a  flrong 
Confidence  of  the  Love  of  God  and  pardon  of  his  Sins  ; 
fo  that  inftead  of  being  influenced  chiefly  by  the  fear  of  Hell, 
as  the  legal  Hypocrite  is,  he  is  ravifhed  with  Heaven  ;  but 
ftill  all  is  from  Self-love,  and  for  Self-ends.  And  proper 
ly  and  fcripturally  fpeaking,  he  naither  knows  God,  nor 
cares  at  all  ior  him.  And  this  is  the  very  Cafe  with  every 
gracelefs  Man  living,  of  whatever  Denomination  ;  whether 
a  Heathen  or  Jew  or  Chriftian,  whether  Papift  or  Proteftant, 
whether  Church-man,  Prefbyterian^  Congregationalift  or  Sepa- 
ra fift9  whether  a  Pelagian.,  Arminian^  Calvinift^  Antinomiany 
Baptift  or  Quaker.  And  this  is  the  Cafe  with  every  grace- 
lejs  Man  living,  whatever  his  Attainments  may  otherwife  be  ; 
tho'  he  hath  all  Knowledge  to  underftand  all  Myfteries,and 
can  fpeak  with  the  Tongues  of  Men  and  Angels,  and  has 
Faith  to  remove  Mountains,  and  Zeal  enough  to  give  all 
his  Goods  to  feed  the  Poor,  and  his  Body  to  be  burned  ; 
yet  he  has  no  Charity  ^s.  is  perfectly  deftitute  of  this  genuine 
Love  to  God  and  his  Neighbour,  and  has  no  higher  Prin 
ciple  in  his  Heart,from  which  all  his  Religion  proceeds,but 
a  fupreme  Love  to  himfelf.  For  ever  fmce  our  firft  Pa-: 
rents  afpired  to  be  as  Gods,  it  has  been  the  Nature  of  all 
Mankind  to  love  themfelves  fupremely,  and  to  be  blind  to^ 
the  infinite  Beauty  of  the  divine  Nature  •,  and  it  remans 
fo  to  be  with  all,  until  renewed  by  divine  Grace.  S,o  that 

I   Self-love  is  the  higheft  Principle,  from  which,  v;mwnc- 

I   rate  Men  do  ever  ad,  or  can  act. 

Here  therefore  we  have  true  Religion,  a  Religion  fpeci- 
fically  different  from  all  other  Sorts  of  Religion  in  the 
World,  {landing  in  a  clear  View.     Yea,,   and  we  may  tx  - 
abfoJutely  certain,  that  this  is  the  v^ry  Thing  which  li?  & 

L  2  be  .at 


148          Irue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

been  defcribed.  For  this  Conformity  to  the  moral  Law,  is 
throughout  all  the  Bible,  by  Mofes  and  the  Prophets^  by 
Chrift  and  his  Afoftks^  represented  to  be  the  very  Thing  in 
which  the  Eflence  of  Religion  originally  confifts.  "  Blefled 
"  be  the  Name  of  the  Lord  for  ever,  who  has  given  us  fo 
"  clear  a  Revelation  of  his  Will,  and  fo  fure  and  certain  a 
«*  Guide  as  his  Word."  Come  here,  all  you  poor  exercifed 
broken-hearted  Saints,  that  live  in  this  dark  benighted 
World,  where  many  run  to  and  fro,  and  where  there  are  a 
thoufand  different  Opinions,  and  every  one  confident  that 
he  is  right.  Come  here  to  the  Law  and  to  the  Teftimony  ; 
come  here  to  Chrift  himfelf,  and  learn  what  the  Truth  is, 
and  be  fettled,  be  confirmed,  and  be  eftabliihed  for  ever. 
And  remember  and  pradtife  upon  thofe  Words  of  Jefus 
Chrift,  in  Joh.  7.  17.  If  any  Man  will  do  his  Wtll^  he  jhall 
know  of  the  Doffrine^  whether  it  be  of  God.  O,  read  the 
Bible,  live  Lives  of  Prayer  and  Communion  with  God  ; 
yea,  die  to  your  felves,  the  World  &  Sin,  and  return  home 
to  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  and  love  him  and  live  to  him, 
and  delight  in  him  more  and  more  •,  and  be  more  &  more 
difmterefted  and  impartial,  fincere  and  fervent,  in  your 
Love  to  your  Neighbours  ;  do  all  the  Good  to  every  one 
that  you  can.  Irr  a  Word,  be  the  Servants  of  God,  and 
grow  up  into  his  Image,  and  your  Certainty  of  divine 
Truths  will  proportionably  ftrengthen  and  increafe.  For 
the  more  your  Underftanuings  are  free  from  that  Darknefs 
and  Prejudice  that  Sirr  has  introduced,  the  clearer  will  you 
view  divineTruths,  and  the  greater  Senfe  will  you  have  of 
their  inherent  divine  Glory  ;  and  foyourBeliefoftheirDivi- 
4ii ty  will  be  the  more  unihaken. 

Having  thus  gone  thro'  with  what  was  propofed,  a  gene 
ral  Improvement  of  the  whole,  is  all  that  now  remains.  And 
indeed  much  Ufe  may  be  made  of  thefe  great  Truths, which 
have  been  thus  explained  and  proved,  for  our  Inftruftion  in 
fome  of  the  moft  controverted  Points  in  Religion,  and  to 
clear  up  the  Believer's  gracious  State,  and  alfo  to  promote 
mr  Humiliation  and  fbankfulnefs  and  wiverfal  Obedience. 

SECTION 


find  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits  1 49 


SECTION    V. 

Right  Apprehenfions  of  the  Law,  ufefulto  clear 
upfome  of  the  moft  controverted  Points  in 
Religion. 

U  S  E  I.  Of  Inftruftion.  We  have  feen  what  the  Law 
of  God  requires,  and  the  infinite  Obligations  we  are  under 
perfectly  to  conform  to  it ;  we  have  feen  wherein  a  genuine 
Conformity  to  the  Law  confifts,  and  how  a  genuine  Con 
formity  to  it  differs  from  all  Counterfeits  ;  and  what  has 
been  faid  may  help  us  to  understand  the  following  Particu 
lars. 

i .  Wherein  conjifted  the  moral  Image  of  God,  in  which 
Adam  was  created.     That  Adam  was  created  in  the  Image 
of  God,  is  expreQy  affirmed,  in  Gen.'i.  27.  So  God  created 
Man  in  his  own  Image,    in  the  Image  of  God  created  he  him,. 
And  from  thefe  Words  we  have  juft  the  fame  Reafon  to 
believe  that  Adam  was  created  in  the  moral,  as  that  he  was 
in  the  natural.    Image  of  God  ;    becaufe  they  tell  us  in 
plain  Terms,  without  any  Diftinction  or  Exception  (nor  is 
there  any     that   can  be  gathered  from    any  other  Text  ) 
that  he   was   created    in    the   Image    of  God  ;  but  the 
moral  as  well  as  the  natural  Perfections  of  God  are  equally 
contained  in  his  Image.     As  to  Apolitical  Image  of  God, 
Adam,  ftridtly  fpeaking,  was  not  created  in  that ,  becaufe 
as  the  Scriptures  inform  us,  it  was  after  his  Creation   that 
he  was  made  Lord  of  this  lower  World.  Gen.  1.28.    And  it 
is,  I  think,  with  lefs  Propriety,  that  this  is  by  Divines  called 
the  Image  of  God  ;  I  do  not  know  that  it  is  any  where  fo 
called  in  Scripture  ;  and  God,  was  the  fame,   he  is  now, 
before  he  fuftained  the   Character  of  fupreme  Lord  and 
Governour  of  the  World.     His  natural  and  moral  Perfecti 
ons  comprifed  his  whole  Image  before  the  World  was  crea 
ted.     And  in  this  his  Image  was  his  Creature  Man  created. 
Not  in  Pkrt  of  his  Image,  for  there  is  no  fuch  Inti 
mation  in  all  the  Bible.     But  in  his  Image,  comprifing  hife 
moral}  as  well,  and  as  much,  as  his  natural  Perfections, 

L  3 


True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

Now  the  moral  Image  of  God  do~s  radically  confift  in  a 
^Temper  of  Mind  or  Frame  of  Heart  perfectly  anfwerable  to 
the  moral  Law  :  the  moral  Law  being  as  it  were  a  Tranfcript 
of  the  moral  Perfections  of  God.  So  that  from  what  has  been 
laid  of  the  Nature  of  the  moral  Perfections  of  God  and  of 
the  Nature  of  the  moral  Law,  we  may  learn  wherein  con- 
filled  that  moral  Image  of  Got!  in  which  Adam  was  created. 
He  had  zperfeff  moral  Reftitude  of  Heart,  a  perfectly  right 
Temper  of  Mind  •,  and  fo  was  perfectly  difpofed  to  love 
God  with  all  his  Heart,  and  his  Neighbours  (if  he  had  had 
any)  as  himfelf  :  Was  perfectly  difpofecl  to  give  God  his 
Place,  and  take  his  own  •,  and  confider  Gad  as  being  what 
he  was,  and  be  affected  and  ad  accordingly  ;  and  to  con 
fider  his  Fellow-Men  (if  he  had  had  any)  as  being  what 
they  were,  and  feel  and  act  accordingly.  And  in  this 
Image  of  God  was  he  created,  as  the  Scriptures  teach  us  ; 
i.  e.  He  was  brought  into  Exiftence  with  fuch  a  Temper 
connatural  to  him. 

Now  here  is  a  new-made  Creature  in  a  new  World,view- 
ing  God  and  wondring  at  his  infinite  Glory,  looking  all 
round,  aftoninYd  at  the  divine  Perfections  ihining  tbrth 
in  all  his  Works.  He  views  the  fpacious  Heavens,  they 
declare  to  him  the  .Glory  of  the  Lord  :  Pie  fees  his  Wif- 
dom  and  his  Power,  he  wonders  and  adores.  He  looks 
round  upon  all  his  Works,  they  clearly  difcover  to  him  the 
invifibie  Things  of  God,  even  his  eternal  Power  and  God 
head,  and  he  ftands  amazed.  God  makes  him  Lord  of 
this  lower  World,  appoints  to  him  his  daily  Employment, 
and  puts  him  into  a  State  of  Trial,  fctting  Life  and  Death 
before  him  ;  and  he  fees  the  infinite  Wifdom,.  Holinefs, 
Juilice  and  Goodnefs  of  God  in  all,  he  fails  down  and  wor- 
ihips,  he  exults  in  God,  and,  with  all  his  Heart,  gives  up 
himfelf  to  God  with  fwceteit  Delight.  All  is  genuine,  na 
tural  and  free,  refulting  from  the  native  Temper  of  his 
Heart. 

Here  he  beheld  God  in  his   infinite  Glory,  viewed  his 

Works,  contemplated  his  Perfections,  admired  and  adored . 

him,  with  a  Sweet nefs  and  Picafure  of  Soul  moil  refined ! 

Here  he  fa\y  God  in  all  the  Trees  Plants  and  Herbs  in  the 

a,    his  happy  Sear,  \viiile  out  of  Love  to  God  and 

Duty 


and  diftinguifhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   151 

Duty  he  attended  his  daily  Bufmefs,  he  eat  and  drank  and 
bleft  his  great  Benefactor  !  He  faw  that  it  was  infinitely 
reafcnable,  that  he  fhould  love  God  with  all  his  Heart,  and 
obey  him  in  every  Thing,  if  eternal  Life  had  not  at  all 
been  promifed  :  both  becaufe  God  infinitely  deferved  it  at 
his  Hand,  and  alfo  in  doing  thereof  there  was  the  greateft 
Satisfaction  and  Delight.  And  he  faw  that  if  he,  in  any 
Thing,  fhould  difobey  his  fovereign  Lord  and  rightful  Go- 
verno'ur,  it  would  be  right,  infinite  right,  that  he  fhould  be 
miferable  for  ever,  even  if  God  had  never  fo  threatned  : 
becaufe  to  difobey  fucb  a  God  appeared  to  him  an  infinite 
Evil.  He  looked  upon  the  Promife  of  eternal  Life,  as  a 
mere  free  Bounty.  He  looked  upon  the  Threatening  of 
Death,  as  impartial  Juftice.  And  while  he  confidered 
eternal  Life  under  the  Notion  of  a  REWARD  promifed 
to  perfect  Obedience  ffom  God  his  Governour,  he  faw  his 
infinite  Love  to  Righteoufnefs  therein,  as  well  as  his  infinite 
Bounty.  And  while  he  confidered  Death  under  theNotion  of 
a  PUNISHMENT  threatened  againft  Sin,  he  faw  God's 
infinite  Hatred  of  Iniquity  therein,  as  well  as  his  impartial 
Juftice.  And  when  he  faw  how  God  loved  Rightepuf- 
nefs  and  hated  Iniquity,  and  beheld  his  infinite  Goodnefs 
on  the  one  Hand  and  impartial  Juftice  on  the  other,  he 
was  ravifhed.  Now  he  faw  plainly  what  God  was,  and 
his  infinite  Glory  in  being  fuch,  and  loved  him  with  all 
his  Heart.  It  was  natural  to  account  fuch  a  God  infinitely 
amiable,and  it  was  natural  to  love  him  with  all  his  Heart. 
Allwas  genuine  and  free,  rcfulting  from  the  native  femper 
of  his  Mind. 

Thefe  being  his  Views  and  Apprehenfions,  and  this  his 
Nature  ;  hence  altho'  he  was  under  a  Covenant  of  Works, 
yet  the  Hopes  of  Happinefs  and  the  Fears  of  Mifery  were 
not  the  original  andfrft  Spring  of  his  Love  to  God  :  it  was 
not  originally  from  Self-love  and  for  Self-ends,  but  from  a 
Senfe  of  the  Beauty  of  the  divine  Nature  ;  and  fo  it 
was  not  forced  and  hypocritical,  but  free  and  genuine  :  it 
did  not  feel  like  a  Burden,  but  it  was  efteemed  a  Priviledge  ; 
and  inftead  of  being  difpofed  to  think  it  MUCH  to  love 
God  with  all  his  Heart  and  obey  him  in  every  Thing,  he 
rather  thought  it  infinitely  right  and  Jit  as  being  God's  due, 

L  4  and 


152         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

and  that  he  deferred  no  thanks  from  God,  but  rather  was 
under  infinite  O  ligations  to  give  thanks  to  God  for  ever, 
for  fuch  an  infinite  Prwiledge.  And  thus  we  fee  wherein 
that  moral  Image  of  God  confuted  in  which  Adam  was 
created. 

2.  From  all  which,  it  is  a  plain  Matter  of  Faft,  that  we 
are  born  into  the  World  entirely  deftitute  of  the  moral  Image 
cf  God.  So  certain  as  that  the  moral  Image  of  God  radi 
cally  confiils  in  fuch  a  Temper,  and  makes  it  natural  to 
have  fuch  like  Views  and  Difpofitions  ;  fo  certain  we  are 
in  Fad  born  without  it.  Look  into  Children,  and  there  is 
nothing  to  be1  feen  of  thefe  Things.  And  we  are  all  fure 
that  ftjch  a  Temper  and  fuch-like  Views  and  Difpofitions 
are  not  natural  to  us  ;  yea,  moft  Men  are  fure  there  is  ftill 
no  fuch  Thing  in  them  -9  and  very  rnany  believe  there  is 

no  fuch  Thing  in  the  World. Ire  are  in  Fact  born  like 

the  wild  Ajfe's  Colt,  as  fenfelefs  of  God,and  as  void  and  de 
ftitute  of  Grace.  We  have  Nature,  bi.t  no  Grace :  a  Tafte 
for  natural  Good,  but  no  Relijb  for  moral,  Beauty  :  an  Appe 
tite  for  Happinejs,  but  no  Appetite  for  Holine'fs.  A  Heart 
ealily  affected  and  governed  by  felfifh  Considerations,  but 
blind  to  the  rnoralRectitude  and  Fitnefs  of  Things.  And 
fo  we  have  a  Heart  to  love  our  felves,  but  no  Heart  to  love 
God  ;  and  may  be  moved  to  act  by  felfifh  Views,  but  can't 
be  influenced  by  the  infinite  moral  Beauty  of  the  divine 
Nature,  ^hat  which  is  born  of  the  Flejh,  is  Flejh  :  Joh.  3.  6. 
And  will  only  mind  and  relilh.  Things  which  fuit  its  Na 
ture  •,  Rom.  8.  5.  But  is  blind  to  fpiritual  Things,  i  Cor. 
2.14  - — —  True  indeed,  in  Children  there  are  many  natu 
ral  Excellencies,  many  Things  pleafmg  and  agreeable.  They 
fometirnes,  in  a  good  mood,  appear  loving  and  kind,  inno 
cent  and  harmkfs,  humble  and  meek  •,  and  fo  does  a  Lamb 
or  young  Puppy.  There  is  nothing  but  Nature  in  thefe 
Appearances.  It's  owing  to  their  animal  Conftitution, 
anil'  to  their  being  pleafed  and  humour'd.  It  is  all  from 
no  higher  Principle  than  Self-love.  Crofs  them,  and  they 
will  prefcntly  feel  and  act  bad  enough.  They  have  in  their 
in  per  and  moft  early  Conduct  noRegard  to  God  or  Du 
ty,  or  to  the  Reafon  ari4  Nature  of  Things,  but  arc  moved 
and  aiiected  merely  as  Things  pleafe  or  difpleafe  them, 

making 


and  diftinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.   153 

making  their  Happinefs  their  laft  End.  And  indeed,  if  the 
Image  of  God,  Holinefs,  or  Grace,  or  whatever  we  call  it, 
be  really  fuch  a  Thing  as  has  been  faid,  then  nothing  of 
fuch  a  Nature,  can  pofTibly  be  more  plain  and  evident  than 
this  univerfally  is,  that  Mankind  are  in  Pact  born  into  the 
World  deilitute,  entirely  deftitute  thereof.  Job.  n.  12. 
And  hence,  we  muft  be  born  again.  Joh.  3.  3,  6. 

OBJ.  But  where  then  was  the  Propriety  of  ChriJF  s  faying 
in  Matth.  18.  3.  Except  ye  be  converted,  and  become  as 
little  Children,  ye  mall  not  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven  ?  Is  it  not  here  fuppofed,  that  little  Children  are 
Patterns  of  Humility  and  Gocdnefs  ? 

ANSW.  And  where  was  the  Propriety  of  thofe  Words  in 
Tfaiab  53.  7.  Where  the  Prophet  fpeaking  of  Chrift's 
Meeknefs  and  Patience  under  his  Sufferings,  he  fays,  As  a 
Sheep  before  her  Shearers  is  dumb,fo  he  opened  not  his  Mouth  ? 
Is  it  not  here  fuppofed,  that  Sheep  are  Patterns  of  Meeknefs 
and  Patience  ?  The  Truth  is,  that  thefe  Alluiions  do  not 
prove,that  eitherSheep  or  littleChiidren  naturally  have  ajiy 
real  Humility  orMeeknefs,  of  a  gracious  Nature,  but  only' 
an  Appearance  of  it.  And  juft  of  the  fameNature  are  thofe 
Phrafes  in  Matth.  10.  16.  As  wife  as  Serpents,  as  harmlefs 
as  Doves.  But  as  thefe  Scriptures  do  not  prove,  that  Sheep 
and  Serpents,  and  Doves  have  Grace,  fo  neither  does  that 
other  Text  prove  that  little  Children  naturally  have  it, 

3.  By  comparing  our  felves  with  the  holy  Law  of  God, 
as  it  has  been  already  explained,  we  may  alfo  Ie2rn,that  we 
are  born  into  the  World  not  only  deftitute  of  a  Conformi 
ty  to  it,  but  are  alfo  natively  diametrically  contrary  thereto 
in  the  Temper  of  our  Hearts.  The  Law  requires  us  to  love 
God  fupremely,  but  the  native  Bent  of  our  Hearts  is  to  love 
our  felves  fupremely.  The  Law  requires  us  to  live  to  God 
ultimately,  but  the  native  Bent  of  our  Hearts  is  to  live  to 
cur  felves  ultimately.  The  Law  requires  us  to  delight  in 
God  fuperlatively,  but  the  native  Bent  of  our  Hearts  is  t& 
delight  in  that  which  is  not  God,  wholly.  And  finally  the 
Law  requires  us  to  love  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves,  but  the 
native  Bent  of  our  Hearts  is  to  be  inordinately  felfjh. 

Thefe  are  the  earlieft  Difpofitions  that  are  difcovered  in 
our  Nature.  And  altho'  I  don't  think  that  they  are  con- 
created 


154          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

created  by  God  together  with  the  EfTence  of  our  Souls,  yet 
they  feem  to  be  the  very  firft  Propenfities  of  the  new-made 
Soul.  So  that  they  are  in  a  Senfe  connatural ;  our  whole 
Hearts  are  perfectly  and  intirely  bent  thisWay,  from  their 
very  firil  Motion.  Thefe  Propenfities  perhaps  in  fome 
Senfe  may  be  faid  to  be  contrasted^  in  Oppofition  to  their 
being  ftrictly  and  philofophically  natural  -,  becaufe  they  are 
not  created  by  God  with  the  Eflence  of  the  Soul,  but  refult 
from  its  native  Choice,  or  rather  more  ftrictly  are  them- 
felves  its  native  Choice.  But  moft  certainly  thefe  Propen 
fities  are  not  contra-fled^  in  the  Senfe  that  many  viciousHa- 
bits  be,  namely,  by  long  Ufe  and  Cuftom.  In  oppofition 
to  fucb  vicious  Habits,they  may  be  called  connatural.  Lit 
tle  Children  do  very  early  bad  Things,  and  contract  bad 
Difpofitions  5  but  thefe  Propenfities  are  evidently  antece 
dent  to  every  bad  Thing  infufed  or  inftilled  by  evil  Exam 
ples,  or  gotten  by  Practice,  or  occafioned  by  Temptations. 
And  hence  it  is  become  cuftomary  to  call  them  natural^  and 
to  fay  that  it  is  our  very  Nature  to  be  fo  inclined.  And  to 
fay  that  thefe  Propenfities  are  natural^  would  to  common 
People  be  the  moft  apt  Way  of  exprefling  the  Thing  ; 
but  it  ought  to  be  remembered,  that  they  are  not  natural 
in  the  fame  Senfe  as  the  Faculties  of  our  Souls  be  :  for  they 
are  not  the  Workmanihip  of  God,  but  are  our  native 
Choice,  and  the  voluntary,  free,  fpontaneous  Bent  of  our 
Hearts.  And  to  keep  up  this  Diftin6tioh,  I  frequently 
choofe  to  ufe  the  Word  native^  inftead  of  natural. 

And  now,  that  thefe  Difpofitions  are,  as  it  were,  thus 
born  with  us,  is  as  evident  from  Experience  as  any  Thing 
of  fuch  a  Kind  can  be  •,  for  thefe  are  the  earlieft  Difpo 
fitions  that  Man's  Nature  difcovers,  and  are  evidently  dif- 
covered  before  little  Children  are  capable  of  learning  them 
from  others  ;  yea,  'tis  plainly  the  very  native  bent  of  their 
Hearts  to  love  themfelves  above  all,  to  make  their  Eafe 
Comfort  and  Happinefs  their  laft  End  and  their  All,  and 
to  feek  for  all  from  the  Creature  ;  or  in  other  Words,  from 
that  which  is  not  God.  This  is  plain  to  every  one's  Obfer- 
vation,  nor  did  I  ever  hear  any  one,  as  I  remember,  venture 
to  deny  it. 

And 


and  dijllngulfoed  from  all  Counterfeits.  155 

And  as  Children  grow  up,  and  their  natural  Powers  en 
large,  fo  thefe  Propenfities  grow  up,  and  ftrengthen,  and 
become  more  aftive,  and  difcover  themfelves  plainer  \  and 
from  this  Root,  this  evil  Fountain,  many  bad  Things  foon 
proceed.  Cbferve  Children  thro'  all  the  Days  of  Child 
hood,  and  this  Nature  may  be  eafiiy  feen  in  them,  they  dif 
cover  it  in  all  their  Conduct  in  ten  thoufand  Inftances  •,  and 
there  it  does  and  will  remain.  We  may  break  them  of 
many  bad  Tricks  which  they  learn,  and  bad  Habits  which 
they  contract ;  but  we  can't  change  this  their  Nature.  They 
are  difpofed  to  love  themfelves  fupremeiy,  feek  their  own 
Ends  ultimately,  and  delight  in  that  which  is  not  God 
wholly  :  nor  can  we  turn  this  Bent  of  their  Hearts.  We 
can  after  a  Sort  inftil  good  Principles  into  them,  learn  them 
to  read  and  pray  -,  and  after  a  Sort  to  honour  their  Pa 
rents,  and  love  their  Neighbours  ;  we  can  make  them  civil 
and  fober  and  humble  and  rnodeft  and  religious  in  a  Sort, 
but  ftill  their  eld  Nature  remains  in  its  full  Power.  It  is 
retrained,  but  not  altered  at  all  -,  yea,  and  after  all,  thefe 
their  native  Difpoiitions  have  the  entire  Government  of 
them.  Their  whole  Hearts  are  as  much  bent  this  Way  as 
ever.  And  thefe  Propenfities  govern  them  in  their  inward 
Temper,  and  in  all  their  Conduct.  They  do  all  from  Self- 
love  and  for  Self-Ends,  and  are  feeking  Happinefs,  not  in 
God,  but  in  fomething  elfe.  Thefe  Things  are  plain  to 
every  impartial  Obferver,  nor  can  they  be  denied  by  any. 
Thus  we  are  alljkapen  in  Iniquity  ^and  in  Sin  are  we  conceived. 
And  we  are  Tranfgreffors  from  the  IVomb^andgo  aftray  as  foon 
as  we  are  lorn. 

And  if  we  leave  Children  and  look  into  our  felves,  we 
may  eafiiy  obferve  that  we  are  naturally  of  the  fame  Tem 
per,  inclined  to  love  our  felves  fupremeiy,  and  do  all  from 
Self-love  and  for  Self-Ends,  and  feek  for  Happinefs,  not  in 
God,  but  in  fomething  elfe.  We  can  remember  when  and 
how  we  contracted  many  other  vicious  Habits,  and  feel 
fome  inward  Power  to  get  rid  of  them  ;  but  thefe  Propen 
fities  we  have  always  had,  and  they  are  natural,  and  our 
whole  Hearts'  are  fo  in  them,  that  it  is  not  in  us  fo  much 
as  fincerely  to  defire  to  be  otherwife.  It  is  true,  we  may, 
in  a  Sort,  defire  and  try  to  alter  this  our  Nature,  from 

Confiderations 


156          *lrue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

Confederations  of  Duty,  of  Heaven  and  Hell ;  but  it  is  all 
Hypocrify  :  for  we.  ftill  aft  merely  from  Self  love  and  for 
Self-ends  as  much  as  ever.  We  have  naturally  no  Difpo- 
fition  to  defire  to  love  God,  only  for  Self-ends.  All  Men 
are  confcious  to  themfelves  that  this  is  true. 

We  are  naturally  entirely  under  the  Government  of  thefe 
Difpofkions,  in  all  ftnngf^A  under  all  Circumftances. — IN 
ALL  THINGS  •,  In  all  our  civil  and  religious  Concerns.  It 
is  merely  from  Self-love  and  for  Self-ends,  that  natural 
Men  follow  their  worldly  Bufmefs  •,  and  endeavour  to  live 
peaceably  with  their  Neighbours  :  and  in  thefeThings  they 
are  feeking  BleiTednefs.  And  it  is  merely  from  Self-love 
and  for  Self-ends  they  do  any  Thing  in  Religion  ;  either 
they  mean  to  be  feen  of  Men,  or  are  moved  from  a  flavilh 
Fear  of  Hell  and  mercenary  Hope  of  Heaven,  or  from 

fome  other  felfifh  Confideration. And  UNDER  ALL 

CIRCUMSTANCES,  we  are  naturally  under  the  Govern 
ment  of  thefe  Difpofitions.  In  Prosperity  •,  then,  from  an 
Inclination  to  love  our  felves  fupremely,  feek  our  own 
Happinefs  ultimately,  and  delight  in  that  which  is  not 
God,  wholly,  it  is  our  Nature  to  rejoice  and  be  glad.  And 
from  the  famelnclination  we  are  difpofed  to  mourn  &  mur 
mur  and  be  difcontented  under  Adverjity.  At  the  redSea  it  was 
natural  for  the  Ifraelites  to  fing  Praife  :  at  the  bitter  Waters 
it  was  as  natural  to  murmur.  When  we  are  pleafed,  then 
we  are  glad  ;  when  we  are  crofs'd,  then  we  are  fad  -,  but 
naturally  we  don't  care  how  it  goes  with  God's  Interefl  in 
the  World,  what  becomes  of  his  great  Name,  or  whether 
his  Honour  finks  or  fwims.  No,  there  is  but  here  and 
there  a  Mofes  that  cares  any  Thing  about  this  :  but  if  they 
can  have  their  own  Wills,  and  fecure  their  own  Interefts, 

they  are  content. While  the  Spirit  of  God  lets  Sinners 

alone  and  they  live  fecure  and  unconcerned,  then  from  the 
aforefaid  Propenfities  they  are  after  the  World  -,  one  after 
one  Thing,  and  another  after  another  :  and  altho'  they  may 
keep  up  a  Form  of  Religion  for  fafhion  fake,  yet  really  they 
care  nothing  about  God  and  Things  eternal.  When  they 
come  to  be  awakened  to  a  Concern  for  their  Souls,  tho' 
they  reform  their  Lives  and  take  very  different  Courfes  • 
from  what  they  ufed  to  do,  yet  ftill  all  is  frorrt  the  fame 

Principle 


and  diftinguifhed from  all  Counterfeits.   157 

Principle  and  for  the  fame  End.  They  have  new* Lives, 
but  the  fame  Nature.  They  don't  really  care  for  God  or 
hisGlory  any  more  than  they  ufed  to  do,  nor  taks  any  Con 
tent  in  him,  but  are  only  after  Pardon  of  Sin  and  Peace  of 
Confcience,  which  according  to  their  prefent  Senfations  and 
Apprehenfions,  they  think  would  make  them  happy.  Sin 
ners  don't  really  feek  for  Bleffednefs  in  God  himfelf,  but  in 
fomething  they  hope  to  receive  from  him.  And  hence  when 
awakened  Sinners  come  to  get  falfe  Comfort,  think  they 
are  pardoned,  and  fo  have  Peace  •,  or  think  that  Chriil 
loves  them,  and  that  they  mail  go  to  Heaven,  and  fo  are 
filled  with  Joy  ;  as  all  their  Joy  refults  from  Self-love 
merely,  fo  all  they  rejoyce  in,  is  what  they  think  they 
have  received,  and  what  they  hope  yet  to  receive  •,  but  they 
don't  really  care  for  God  himfelf,  (whofe  Glory  they  never 
faw,)  any  more  than  they  ufed  to  do,  nor  rejoyce  in  Him  : 
and  hence  (ordinarily)  having  their  Confciences  quieted, 
they  fogn  go  back  to  the  World  again  for  real  Comfort 
and  BleiTednefs.  Or  if  after  falfe  Comfort  they  turn  En- 
thufiafts,  and  get  to  blazing^  and  wax  hotter  and  hotter,  and 
feem  to  be  full  of  nothing  but  Love  to  God  and  Zeal  for 
his  Glory  ;  it  is  Viiions  and  Dreams,  Revelations  and  Im- 
pulfes,  a  firm  Perfwafion  they  are  the  peculiar  Favourites 
of  Heaven,  and  the  Applaufe  of  their  Party,  which  they 
live  upon  and  take  Comfort  in,  and  by  which  they  are  ani 
mated  ;  and  all  from  Self-love  and  for  Self-Ends  :  but  in 
Deed  and  in  Truth,  they  neither  know  God,  nor  regard 
him  nor  his  Glory,nor  live  upon  him,nor  delight  in  him,any 
more  than  they  ufed  to  do  :  And  thus  in  all  Things,  and 
under  all  Circumftances,  unregenerate  Men  are  governed 
by  a  Difpofition  to  love  themfclves  fupremely,  live  to  them- 
felves  ultimately,  and  delight  in  that  which  is  not  God 
wholly.  And  whofoever  is  well  acquainted  with  Mankind 
may  eafily  fee  that  this  is  in  Fact  the  very  Cafe,  and  will 
naturally  be  led  to  make  the  fame  Obfervation  with  the  A- 
poftle  Paul)  in  Phil.  2.  21.  All  feek  their  own,  and  not  the 
•'Things  which  are  Jefus  ChriJFs. 

•  And  now  this  Difpofition,  which  is  thus  evidently  natu 
ral  to  all  Mankind,  is  direftly  contrary  to  Gcd's  My  Law  y 
is  exceedir.gifiwfid)  and  is  the  Root  cf  all  Wickednefs*  Firft, 

* 


158          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

it  is  diametrically  opponte  to  God's  holy  Law,     For  this 
requires  us  to  love  God  fuprernely  and  feek  his  Glory  ulti 
mately  ,  in  direct  Contrariety  whereunto,  we  are  naturally 
inclined  to  love  our  felves  fuprernely  and  live  to  our  felves 
ultimately.     Again,  theLaw  requires  us  to  delight  in  God 
fuperlatively  and  choole   him  and  live  upon  as  the  only 
Portion  of  our  Souls  -,  in  direct  Contrariety  whereunto,  we 
are  naturally  inclined  to  place  our  whole  Hearts  upon  other 
Things,   and  live  upon  them  and  take  Content   in  them. 
Finally,  the  Law  requires  us  to  love  our  Neighbour  as  our 
felves  and  do  as  we  would  be  done  by  ^  in  direct  Contra 
riety  whereunto,we  are  naturally  inclined  to  be  inordinately 
felfiih,   and  fo  not  to  do  as  we  would  be  done  by.     And 
thus  we  are  all  naturally  gone  cut  of  the  Way^  and  in  the 
Temper  of  our  own  Minds  become  corrupt  ..filthy  and  unpro 
fitable  ^and  there  is  none  righteous ;  no9  not  one.  Pfal.i4.Rom. 
3.  10. — 19.  We  have  loft  the  Image  of  God,  we  have  loft 
a  right  Temper  of  Mind,  we  have  loft  a  governing  Senfe 
of  the  moral  Fitnefs  of  Things,  have  no  Eyes  to  fee  moral 
Beauty,  or  Hearts  to  tafte  and  relifh  the  moral  Excellency 
of  fpiritual  and  divine  Things,   i  Cor.  2.  14.     Hence,  in 
God  v/e  can  fee  no  Form  nor  Comelinefs,nor  in  him  at  all 
delight  5  yea, 'tis  natural  for  it  to  feem  to  us  as  if  there  was 
no  God.  P/2z/.  14.  i .     And  now,  as  tho'  in  very  Deed  there 
were  no  God  for  us  to  be  in  Subjection  unto,  we  fet  up 
for  our  felves,  to  make  our  own  Intereft  our  laft  End,  and 
to  feek  BleiTednefs,  not  in  God,  but  in  fomething  elfe  ;  and 
are  naturally  inclined,  without  any  Regard  to  God's  Law, 
to  make  our  own  Wills  our  only  Rule  •,    and  now,  having 
caft  off  the  Government  of  God,  and  forfaken  the  Foun 
tain  of  living  Waters,  we  go  every  one  his  Way,  one  to  his 
Farm,  another  to  his  Merchandife,  dlferving  divers  Lufts 
and  Pleasures. — So  that  it  might  juftly  be  wondered  at,how 
any  among  Mankind  mould  ever  have  it  enter   into  their 
Hearts,  to  imagine  that  we  are  not  fallen  Creatures,  uni- 
verfally  depraved,  when  it  is  fo  evidently  a  plain  Matter  of 
Fact.     I  think,  it  can  be  owing  to  nothing,  but  Men's  Ig 
norance  of  the  Law,  in  it's  fpiritual  Nature,  Purity,Strict- 
nefs  and  Extent,  and  their  not  comparing  themfelves  there 
with.     And  indeed  St.  Paul  tells  us  that  this  is  the  Cafef 

Rom, 


and  diftmgiiijhed from  all  Counterfeits.    159 

Rom.  7.8.  For  without  the  Law  Sin  was  dead.  For  did 
Men  but  rightly  apprehend  that  God  is  fuch  a  one  as  the 
Law  fpeaks  him  to  be,  and  that  he  requires  us  to  be  what 
really  he  does,  they  could  not  pofTibly  but  fee  their  native 
Contrariety  to  God  and  his  holy  Law.  The  Israelites  of 
old  felt  their  Contrariety  to  their  Prophets,  and  they  hated 
them  and  put  them  to  Death  •,  and  the  Pharifees  felt  their 
Contrariety  to  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles,  and  hated  them  and 
put  them  to  Death  •,  for  they  perceived  what  their  Prophets, 
and  what  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles  were  driving  at :  but  yet 
all  the  while  they  imagined  they  loved  God  and  loved  his 
Law,  becaufe  they  neither  knew  God  nor  underftood  his 
Law.  And  even  fo  it  is  at  this  Day.  If  an  Arminian  or 
Pelagian  (for  after  all  their  Pretences,  they  are,  by  Nature, 
juft  like  the  reft  of  Mankind,)  did  but  verily  believe  God 
juft  fuch  an  One  as  the  godly  Man  in  fact  fees  him  to  be, 
he  would  feel  as  great  a  Contrariety  to  him  and  Enmity  a- 
gainft  him  as  any  Cahinifl  ever  fuppofed  there  was  in  natli* 
ral  Men.  They  frame  a  falfe  Image  of  God  in  their  own 
Fancies,  to  fait  the  vitiated  Tafte  of  their-  corrupt  Hearts, 
and  then  cry,  We  are  not  Emmies  to  God  •,  no,  but  it  is  na 
tural  for  us  to  love  him.  When  all  the  while,  their  native 
Averfion  to  God,  will  not  fomuch  as  fuffer  them  to  believe, 
that  there  is  any  fuchBeing^  as  really  he  is.  But  to  proceed, 

The  aforefaid  Difpofition  and  Bent  of  Heart,  which  is 
thus  directly  contrary  to  the  Law,  is  exceeding  finf id.  For 
while  we  love  our  felves  fupremely  and  live  to  our  felves 
ultimately,  we  do  really  in  our  Hearts  and  by  our  Practice 
prefer  our  felves  above  God,  as  if  we  were  more  excellent 
and  worthy  :.  in  which  we  caft  infinite  Contempt  on  the 
Lord  of  Glory,  in  as  much  as  all  theNations  are  in  his  Sight 
but  as  a  Drop  of  the  Bucket  and  fmall  Duft  of  the  Ballance, 
and  we  compared  with  him  are  lefs  than  Nothing  and  Va 
nity.  He  is  of  infinite  Majefty,  Greatnefs,  Glory  &  Excel 
lency,  and  all  Heaven  adore  him  in  the  moft  humble  Prof- 
trations  •,  and  yet  we,  mean  Worms  of  the  Duft,  yea  vile 
Worms  of  the  Duft,  that  deferve  every  Moment  to  be 
ipurned  to  Hell  ^  even  we  efteem  and  love  our  felves  more 
than  we  do  him,  and  are  more  concerned  for  our  Intereft 
thaji  for  his  Honour  •,  yea,  care  not  at  all  for  him  or  his 

Honour, 


160       True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

Honour,  nor  would  ever  fo  much  as  pretend  to,  if  not  ex 
cited  thereto  from  the  Expectation  of  Self- advantage  :  And 
that  even  altho*  we  receive  Life  and  Breath  and  all  Things 
from  him,  and  his  Right  to  us  is  original,  underived,  per 
fect  and  entire.  Surely  this  is  infinite  Wickednefs  !  And 
befides,  in  being  and  doing  fo,  we  affront  his  facred  Au 
thority,  whereby  as  Governour  of  the  World  he  commands 

us  to  love  him  with  all  ourHearts. And  further,  while 

we  are  inclined  to  take  our  whole  Delight  in  that  which 
is  not  God,  to  forfake  him  the  Fountain  of  living  Waters, 
the  Ocean  of  all  Good,  and  feek  Comfort  andContent  elfe- 
where  j  we  hereby  prefer  the  World  above  God,  prefer  our 
Wives  and  Children,  our  Houfes  and  Lands  and  Pleafures 
above  God,  or  at  belt  we  prefer  (an  imaginary)  Heaven 
above  God :  to  do  either  of  which,  cafts  infinite  Contempt 
upon  the  Lord  of  Glory,  the  Delight  of  Angels,  the  Joy  of 
the  heavenly  World.  The  Pfalmift  faid,  Whom  have  I  in 
Heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  nothing  onEarth  I  defire  befides 
thee.  Pfal.  73.  25.  And  well  might  he  fay  fo.  But  to  be 
inclined,  when  we  are  fecure  in  Sin  and  not  terrified  with 
Hell,  to  love  and  defire  any  Thing  upon  Earth  more  than 
God ;  and  when  under  Terrors  and  fearful  Expectations  of 
Wrath,  to  defire  Pardon,  Peace,  and  (an  imaginary)  Hea 
ven,  and  any  Thing  to  make  us  happy,  but  God  himfelf ; 
is  furely  infinitely  vile.  We  do  hereby  prefer  that  which 
is  not  God,  above  God  himfelf-,  as  if  it  was  really  of  more 
Worth  ;  and  fo  call  infinite  Contempt  upon  the  Ocean  of 
Bleflednefs  and  Fountain  of  all  Good.  And  befides  in  this, 
as  well  as  the  former  Particular,  we  go  directly  contrary  to 
the  exprefs  Command  of  the  great  Governour  of  the  whole 
World.  Finally,  to  be  difpofed  to  an  inordinate  (and  fo  to 
a  groundlefs)  Self-love,  and  to  be  fwallowed  up  in  felfifh 
Views  and  Dejigns,  inftead  of  a  tender  Love  and  cordial 
Benevolence  to  all  our  Fellow-Men,  loving  them  as  our 
felves,  is  evidently  contrary  to  all  the  Reafon  and  Nature 
of  Things,  and  to  the  exprefs  Command  of  God,  which  is 
infinitely  binding  •,  and  fo  this  alfo  is  infinitely  finful.  And 
thus  thefe  our  native  Propenfities  are  directly  contrary  to 
the  holy  Law  of  Goda  and  exceeding  finful, 

But 


i  and  diftinguifhed from  all  Counterfeits.  161 

But  here  it  may  be  inquired  :  "  If  a  Difpofition  to  love 
"  our  ieives  fupremely,  live  to  our  felves  ultimately,  and 
"  to  delight  in  that  whuh  is  not  God  wholly,  be  fo  exceed-. 
^  ing  fmlul,  whence  is  it  that  Men's  Conferences  do  not  any 
"  more  accufe  and  condemn  them  therefor  ?"  To  which 
the  Anfwsr  is  plain  and  eafy  •,  for  this  is  evidently  owing  to 
tbeir  intolerable  mean  Thoughts  of  God.  Mai.  i.  6,  7,  8.  A 
Son  honouretb  his  Father ',  and  a  Servant  bis  Mafter :  If  then 
I  be  a  Father,  where  is  mine  Honour  ?  And  if  I  be  a  Mafter ; 
where  is  my  Fear  ?  faith  the  Lord  of  Hofts  unto  you,  O 
Pricfts,  that  defpife  my  Name  :  and  ye  fay ,  Wherein  have  i&e 
defpifed  thy  Name  ?  Ye  offer  'polluted  Bread  upon  mine  Altar  ; 
(and  fo  ye  defpife  me  :)  and  (yet)  ye  fay ,  Wherein  have,  we 
polluted  tbee  ?  (I  anfwer)  In  that  (in  doing  fo)  ye  (practical-. 
ly)/^?  ne  tfable  of  the  Lord  is  contemptible  (And  fo  you 

treat  me  with  Contempt.) And  yet  their  Confciences 

did  not  fmite  them,  and  therefore  the  Lord  adds And 

if  ye  offer  the  Blind  for  Sacrifice ',  is  it  not  Evil  ?  and  if  ye  offer 
the  Lame  and  Sick,  is  it  not  Evil  ?  ('or  am  I  fo  mean  and 
itemptible,  that  to  do  fo  ought  not  to  be  looked  upon  as 
an  Affront  ?    I  appeal  to  the  common  Senfe  of  Mankind,) 
Offer  it  now  unto  thy  Governour,  will  he  be  pleafed  with  thee, 
or  accept  thy  P  erf  on  ?  faith  the  Lord  of  Hofts.    (And  if  your 
Governour  will  take  it  as  an  Affront,  mucji  more  may  I)  for 
lam  a  GREAT  KING,  faith  the  LORD  of  Hofts,  f.   14. 
Here  it  is  plain,  that  it  was  their  mean  and  contemptuous 
Thoughts  of  God,  which  made  them  think  it  would  do, 
to  turn  him  off  any  how,  and  with  any  Thing.     And  jufb 
fo  it  is  in  the  Cafe  before  us ;  Men's  Thoughts  of  God  are 
infinitely  mean  -,  He  is  very  contemptible  in  their  Sight  : 
and  hence  altho'  they  love  themfelves,their  ownHonour  and 
Intereft, above  theLord  &  hisGlory,and  prefer  otherThings, 
and  take  more  delight  in  that  which  is  not  God,  than  in 
God  himfelf ;  yet  they  fay,  "  Wherein  do  we  defpife  the 
"  Lord,  affront  his  Majefty,  or  caft  Contempt  upon  him  ? 
"  We  pray  in  fecret  and  in  our  Families,  we  go  to  Meet- 
"  ing  and  to  Sacrament,  and  help  to  fupport  the  Gofpel ; 
:<4  and  is  not  all  this  to  honour  the  Lord  ?     And  wherein 
"  do  we  defpife  him  ?"— Juft  as  if  going  into  your  Clofet 
twice  a  Day  to  quiet  your  Conference,  and  faying  over  the 

M  old 


1 62         True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

old  Prayer  by  Rote  in  your  Family,  that  you  have  repeated 
Morning  and  Evening  ever  fince  you  kept  Houfe  ;  and  in 
a  cuftomary  Way  going  to  Meeting  and  to  Sacrament,  and 
paying  your  Minifter's  Rate,  (and  it  may  be  not  without 
grudging  -,)  juft  as  if  this  was  a  honouring  of  God  ^  when  at 
Heart  you  do  not  love  him  one  Jot,  nor  care  for  his  Ho  • 
nour  and  Intereft  at  all,  nor  would  do  any  Thing  in  Reli 
gion  but  for  the  Influence  of  Education  and  common 
Cuftom,or  from  legalFears  and  mercenaryHopes,or  merely 
from  fome  other  felfiih  Confideration  :  yea,  juft  as  if  this 
was  an  honouring  of  God,  when  all  the  Time  you  caft  fuch 
infinite  Contempt  upon  him  in  your  Heart,  as  to  give  your 
Heart  to  another ,  to  that  which  is  not  God,  to  your  felf 
and  to  the  World  ! — Let  a  Woman  treat  her  Hufband  fo, 
will  he  be  pleafed  with  it,  and  will  he  accept  her  Perfon  ? 
If  me  does  not  love  her  Hufband  at  all,  or  delight  in  his 
Perfon,  or  care  for  his  Intereft  ;  if  me  loves  another  Man, 
has  a  feparate  Intereft  of  her  own,  and  does  nothing  for  her 
Hufband  but  to  ferve  her  own  Ends  :  will  he  now  think 
fhe  is  a  good  W^ife^  becaufe  Morning,  Noon  and  Night,  Ihe 
prepares  his  Food,  tho'  fhe  does  it  carelefly,  the  Victuals 
always  cold  and  poorly  drefs'd,  hardly  fit  to  eat  ;  and  he 
knows  it  is  all  from  want  of  Love  :  And  befides,fhe  thinks 
fhe  does  a  great  deal  for  him,  and  expects  her  Pay  like  a 
'hired  Maid ! — And  fhe  fays  to  herHufband,  "Wherein  do 
*'  I  defpife  you  ?  Am  not  I  always  doing  for  you  ?"  And 
Ihe  does  not  feel  her  felf  to  Blame,  becaufe  her  Hufband 
looks  fo  mean  and  contemptible  in  her  Eyes  :  and  fhe  cares 
fo  little  for  him,  that  any  Thing  feems  good  enough  for 
him  :  while  all  the  time  her  whorifh  Heart  is  doating  on 
her  Lovers. — Says  her  Hufband,  "  You  do  not  love  me, 
"  but  other  Men  have  your  Heart,  and  you  are  more  a 
"  Wife  to  them  than  to  me." — But  fays  fhe,  "  I  can't  love 
*6  you,  and  I  can't  but  love  others."  And  now  fhe  feems  to 
her  felf  not  to  blame.  So  a  wicked  World  have  fuch  mean 
Thoughts  of  God,  that  they  cannot  love  him  at  all,  and 
have  fuch  high  Thoughts  of  themfelves,  that  they  can't 
but  love  themfelves  fupremely  :  they  have  fuch  mean 
Thoughts  of  God,  that  they  can't  delight  in  him  at  all  \ 
but  they  fee  a  Glory  in  other  Things,  and  fo  in  them  they 

can't 


and  diftinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  1 63 

can't  but  delight  wholly  :  And  becaufe  they  are  habitually 
infenfible  of  God's  infinite  Glory,  hence  they  are  habitually 
infenfible  of  the  exceeding  'Sinfulnefs  of  thefe  native  Propen- 
fities  of  their  Hearts.  So  that  we  fee,  that  mean,  contemp 
tuous  Thoughts  of  God  are  the  very  Foundation  of  the 
Peace  and  Quiet  and  Security  of  Men  in  a  mere  Form  of 
Religion.  If  they  did  but  fee  who  tbe  Lord  zV,  they  could 
not  but  judge  themfelves  and  all  their  Duties  to  be  infinitely 
odious  in  his  Sight.  PfaL  51.  21,  22.  Tbefe  Things  haft 
thou  done,  and  I  kept  Silence  :  thou  thought  eft  I  was  altogether 
fuch  a  cm  as  tbyfdf:  lut  I  will  reprove  thee^  and  fet  them 
in  order  before  thine  Eyes.  Now  confider  this,  ye  that  forget 
God.  Men  have  fuch  mean  Thoughts  of  God  and  fo  little 
regard  him,  that  they  are  naturally  inclined  to  forget  that; 
there  is  a  God,  and  to  feel  and  act  as  if  there  were  none. 
Hence  (PfaL  14.1.)  The  Fool  faith  in  his  Heart ,  there  is  no 
God.  i.  e.  he  is  inclined  to  feel  and  act  as  if  there  was  none. 
And  therefore  it  is  added  in  the  next  Words,  Corrupt  are 
they.  So  the  Children  of  £//,  who  treated  the  Worfhip  of 
God  with  great  Contempt,  are  faid  to  defpife  the  Lord  and 
kick  at  his  Sacrifice  ^  and  yet  their  Confciences  did  not  finite 
them  :  and  the  Ground  of  all  was  tbeir  mean  contemptuous 
Thoughts  of  God.  i  Sam.  2.  12,29,30.  The  Sons  ofEAiwere 
Sons  ef  Belial,  tbey  knew  not  the  Lord.  And  thus  we  fee 
that  our  native  Difpofition  to  love  our  felves  fupremely, 
live  to  our  felves  ultimately,  and  delight  wholly  in  that: 
which  is  not  God,  is  (whether  we  are  fenfible  of  it,  or  no,) 
directly  contrary  to  God's  holy  Laws  and  exceeding  linful. 

And  I  add, 

This  native  Bent  of  our  Hearts  is  the  Root  of  all  Sin, 
fthe  pojitive  Root,  I  mean,  in  oppolition  to  a  meer  priva 
tive  Caufe)  of  all  our  inward  Corruptions  &  vicious  Practi 
ces  i  both  of  thofe  which  are  contrary  to  thefrft  and  to  the 
fecond  Table  of  the  Law,  of  thofe  which  more  immediately 
affront  God,  and  of  thofe  which  more  efpecially  refpect 
our  Neighbour. 

.  From  this  Root  arifes  all  our  evil  Carriage  towards  tie 
Lord  of  Glory.  This  is  the  Root  of  a  Spirit  of  Self-fupremacy  , 
whereby  we  in  our  Hearts  exalt  our  felves  and  our  Wills 
above  the  Lord  and  his  Will,  and  refufe  to  be  controuled 

M  2  by 


1 64         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

by  him  or  be  in  Subjection  unto  him.  Jehovah  aflumes 
the  Character  of  moil  high  God,  fupreme  Lord  and  fove- 
reign  Governour  of  the  whole  World,  and  commands  all 
the  Earth  to  acknowledge  and  ojxfy  him  as  fuch  ;  but  we 
are  all  naturally  inclined  Pharaoh-like  to  fay,  Who  is  the 
Lord)  that  we  Jhould  obey  him  !  we  know  not  the  Lord,  nor 
will  we  do  his  Will.  And  hence  Mankind,  all  the  World 
over,  break  God's  Law,  every  Day,  before  his  Face  •,  as  if 
they  defpifed  his  Authority  in  their  Hearts.  And  when 
he  croffes  them  in  his  Providences,  they,  as  thos  it  was  not 
his  Right  to  govern  the  World,  quarrel  with  him  ;  becaufe 
they  can't  have  their  own  Wills^  and  go  in  their  own  Ways. 
This  was  always  the  Way  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael  thofe 
Forty  Years  in  the  Wildernefs,  whofe  whole  Conduct  ex* 
cmplifies  our  Nature  to  the  Life,  and  in  which  Glafs  we 
may  behold  our  Faces,  and  know  what  Manner  of  Perfons 
we  natively  be.  Men  love  themfelves  above  God  and- 
don't  like  his  Law,  and  hence  are  inclined  to  fet  up  their 
Wills  above  and  againft  his  ;  and  if  they  can*  they  will* 
have  their  Wills,  and  go  in  their  Ways,  for  all  him  ;  and 
if  they  can't,  they  will  quarrel  with  him.  And  hencfe  the  j 
Apoftle  fays,  The  carnal  Mind  is  Enmity  againft  God,  is  not  j 
fubjeft  to  his  Law,  neither  indeed  can  be.  Rom.  8.7. 

And  from  this  Root  arifes  a  Spirit  of  Self-fufficiency  and 
Independency  \  whereby  we  are  lifted  up  in  our  own  Hearts, 
and  hate  to  be  beholden  to  God  ;  and  having  different  In- 
terefts  and  Ends  from  him,  naturally  think  it  not  fafe,  and 
fo  upon  the  whole  not  liking,  to  truft  in  him,  chufe  to  truft 
In  our  felves,  or  any  Thing  rather  than  him.  We  have 
a  better  Thought  of  cur  felves  than  of  God,  as  knowing 
we  are  difpofed  to  be  true  to  our  own  Interefts  and  Ends, 
and  therefore  had  rather  truft  in  our  felves  than  in  him  -, 
and  befides,  we  naturally  hate  to  come  upon  our  Knees  to 
him  for  every  Thing.  Hence,  that  in  Jer.  2.  31.  is  the 
native  Language  of  our  Hearts,  We  are  Lords,  we  will  come 
no  more  unto  thee.  We  love  to  have  the  Staff  in  our  own 
Hands,  for  then  we  can  do  as  we  will  -,  and  hate  to  lie  at 
God's  Mercy,  for  then  we  muft  be  at  his  ControuJ  -9  yea, 
we  had  rather  truft  in  any  Thing  than  in  God,  he  being 
of  all  Things  moft  contrary  to  us.  And  hence  the  Ifrae- 

liifa 


. 

and diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   165 

lites  in  their  Diftrefs,  would  one  while  make  a  Covenant 
with  Affyria^  and  then  lean  upon  Egypt  •,  yea,  and  rob  the 
Treafures  of  the  Temple  to  hire  their  Aid,  rather  than  be 
beholden  to  God.  Yea,  they  would  make  them  Gods  of 
Silver  and  Gold,  of  Wood  and  Stone,  and  then  truft  in 
fuch  lying  Vanities,  rather  than  in  the  Lord  Jehovah. 
And  as  Face  anfwers  Face  in  the  Water^  fo  does  the 
Heart  of  Man  to  Mz#,Prov.  27.  i9.This  is  our  veryNature. 
Again,from  thefameRootarifes  zDifpofitionto  depart  from 
the  Lord.  For  other  Things  appear  more  glorious  and  ex- 
i  cellent  and  Soul-fatisfying  than  God.  Wherefore  the 
Hearts  of  the  Children  of  Men  fecretly  loath  theLord,  and 
hanker  after  other  Things,  and  fo  go  away  from  God  to 
them.  Job  21.  12,14.  They  take  the  Timbrel  and  Harp,  and 

rejoyce  at  the  Sound  of  the  Organ. 'Therefore  they  fay  unto 

God^  Depart  from  us,  for  we  defire  not  the  Knowledge  of  thy 
Ways.  Mai.  3.  14,  15.  It  is -vain  to  ferveGod:  and  what 
profit  is  it,  that  we  have  kept  his  Ordinance,  and  that 
we  have  walked  mournfully  before  the  Lord  of  Hofts?  — 
•  We  call  the  Proud  happy.  Meditation  and  Prayer  are  a 
i  Burden  to  Men-,  they  had  rather  be  almoft  anywhere 
i  than  in  their  Clofets  ;  becaufethey  fecretly  loath  theLord  : 
;  but  in  other  Things  they  fmdComfort,  one  in  his  Farm  and 
another  in  his  Merchandife,  the  young  Man  in  his  Frolicks 
and  with  his  merry  Companions,  the  old  Man  in  his  Wife 
and  Children,  and  Cattle  and  Swine,  and  Houfe  &  Lands, 
the  rich  Man  in  his  Riches,  the  ambitious  Man  in  his  Ho 
nours,  the  Scholar  in  his  Books,  the'  Man  of  Contempla 
tion  in  his  nice  Speculations  :  and  in  any  Thing  Men  can 
take  more  Comfort  than  in  God  himfelf.  That  whichAn- 
gels  and  Saints  in  Heaven,  and  Believers  on  Earth,  prize 
above  all  Things,  Men  have  naturally  the  leaft  Account  of. 
Pfal.  73.  25.  Whom  have  I  in  Heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is 
nothing  on  Earth  I  defire  beftdes  thee.  Jer.  2.  5,  n,  12,  13. 
fhus  faith  the  Lord,  What  Iniquity  have  your  Fathers  found 
in  me,  that  they  are  gone  far  from  me,  and  have  walked  after 
Vanity,  and  become  vain  ?  Hath  a  Nation  changed  their  Gods9 
which  are  yet  no  Gods  ?  But  my  People  have  changed  their 
Glory  for  that*  which  doth  not  profit.  Be  aftonijhed^  O  ye 
9  at  this.— They  have  forfaken  me  the  Fountain  of 
M  3 


1 66          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

living  Waters^  and  hewed  them  out  Ciftcrns,  broken  Gift  ems 
that  can  hold  no  Water. 

And  from  the  whole,  we  may  fee  there  is  the  greateft 
Contrariety  between  the  Nature  of  God  ani  the  Nature  of 
the  Sinner.  And  hence  God  hates  Sinners,  (Hob.  i.  13.) 
and  Sinners  hate  him  (Rom.  8.7.)  and  when  Sinners  come 
to  die  and  go  into  the  eternal  World,they  vf\\\feel  then  that 
they  hate  him,  tho' their  Nature  then  will  be  juft  the  fame  as  it 
is  now.  And  they  will  then  know  that  the  greatReafon  they 
did  not  feel  their  Hatred  of  him  in  this  World,  was  becaufe 
they  did  not  think  nor  would  believe  that  he  wras  fuch  an  One. 

And  hence  we  may  fee  whence  it  is,  that  we  are  fo  averfe 
to  right  Apprehenfions  of  God,  and  whence  it  is  that  our 
Infenfibility  of  his  Glory  in  being  what  he  is,  is  fo  invinci 
ble,  viz.  becaufe  he  k  in  his  very  Nature  in  fuch  perfect 
Contrariety  to  us,  and  we  to  him.  For  to  account  that 
Infinitely  glorious  in  being  what  it  is,  which  is  of  a  Nature 
perfectly  contrary  to  us,  is  as  unnatural  as  to. account  our 
felves  infinitely  hateful  in  being  what  we  be ;  for  that  ne- 
ceflarily  implies  this.  So  far  therefore  as  Sinners  love  them- 
felves  for  being  what  they  be,  fo  far  do  they  hate  God  for 
being  what  he  is :  And  fo  far  as  they  hate  God  for  being 
what  he  is,  fo  far  their  Infenfibility  of  his  infinite  Glo 
ry  in  being  juft  fuch  a  one  is  invincible.  And  now  finceMen 
naturally  perfectly  love  themfelves  for  being  what  they  be, 
and  confequently  perfectly  hate  God  for  being  what  he  is  ; 
hence  their  Minds  are  naturally  perfectly  prejudiced  againft 
the  true  Knowledge  of  God,  and  perfectly  averfe  to  and 
?.nfufceptive  of  a  Senfe  of  his  infinite  Glory  in  being  jufl 
what  he  is.  And  hence  it  is,that  neither  God's  Word  nor 
Works,  nor  any  thing  but  his  almighty  Spirit,  can  make 
Men  in  their  Hearts,  both  really  give  into  it,  that  God  is 
juft  fuch  a  One  as  he  is,  and  infinitely  glorious  in  being 
fuch.  The  Heavens  may  declare  the  Glory  of  the  Lord, 
,and  make  the  invifible  Things  of  God  clearly  to  be  feen  ; 
and  theScriptures  andMinifters  may  proclaim  hisGreatnefs 
£ridGlory,&theHonour  of  hisMajefty  ;  butSinners  in  feeing 
will  not  fee,  and  in  hearing  will  not  hear  and  underiland  : 
for  they  do  not  like  to  haveGod  in  theirKnowledgfc.  They 
hate  the  Light,  and  loveDarknefs  ,  tjiey  hate  to  think  that 

God 


and  didinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits  167 

God  fliould  be  fuch  a  One,  can  fee  no  Glory  in  him  in 
being  fuch,  fecretly  wifh  he  was  another  Kind  of  a  Being, 
dread  to  think  that  he  is  what  he  is,  and  will  not,  if  they 
can  help  it.  Job.  3.  i^,2O.Rom.  i.  2$.Job.  8.  43,  47-That 
God  ihould  love  Himfelf  more  than  he  does  his  finful  Crea 
tures,  and  value  his  own  Honour  and  Intereft  more  than  he 
does  our  Happinefs,  and  look  upon  it  as  an  infiniteAffront 
that  we  are  not  exactly  of  the  fame  Mind,  and  judge  us 
worthy  of  eternal  Damnation  therefor,  and  as  high  Gover- 
nour  of  the  World  make  fuch  a  Law  and  bind  us  to  it  to 
do  fo  •,  how  can  this  fuit  a  proud  Rebel,  that  only  loves 
himfelf  and  his  own  Intereft,  and  cares  not  for  God  at  all  ? 
How  can  a  carnal,  felfiih  Heart  delight  in  fuch  a  God,  and 
account  him  infinitely  glorious  in  being  fuch  ?  How  can 
he  rejoyce  to  hear  that  he  fits  King  for  ever,  and  does  all 
Things  according  to  the  Counfel  of  his  own  Will,  aiming 
ultimately  at  his  own  Glory  ?  Or  how  can  he  imagine 
that  fuch  a  Conduct,  fo  directly  crofs  to  his  Temper,  is 
infinitelyRight  and  becoming,glorious  and  excellent  ?  The 
Temper,  the  bad  Temper  of  Sinners  Hearts  is  it,  that  ren 
ders  their  Jnfenfibility  of  his  Glory,  in  being  what  he  is, 
fo  invincible.  He  does  not  fuit  them,  he  does  not  look 
upon  Things  as  they  do,  he  is  not  difoofed  nor  does  he  act 
as  they  would  have  him,  but  all  directly  contrary  :  as  con 
trary  as  Light  and  Darknefs,  as  Sin  and  Holinefs,  as  Hea 
ven  and  Hell.  Therefore  the  carnal  Mind  is  Enmity  againft 
God.  But  to  return, 

From  this  fame  Root,  this  Difpofition  to  love  our  felves 
fupremely,  live  to  our  felves  ultimately,  and  delight  in  that 
which  is  not  God  wholly,  proceeds  all  our  evil  Carriage  to 
wards  our  Neighbour.  Pride,  Selfifhnefs  and  Worldlinefs, 
lay  the  Foundation  for  all  that  cheating,  lying,  backbiting, 
quarrelling,  there  is  among  Neighbours  ;  and  for  all  the 
Feuds  and  bloady  Wars  there  ever  have  been  among  all  the 
Nations  of  the  Earth  from  the  beginning  of  the  WorkL 
And  Pride,  Selfifhnefs  and  Worldlinefs,  together  with  that 
Enmity  againft  God  and  true  Religion  which  is  naturally 
concomitant,  lay  the  Foundation  for  all  thofe  bloody  Per- 
fecutions,whieh  have  been  in  the  feveral  Ages  of  the  World, 
Againft  the  Church  aod  People  of  God  If  Men  were  not 

M  4  proud 


1 68         "True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

proud  nor  felfifh,  they  would  have  no  Inclination  to  injure 
their  Neighbours  in  Name  or  Eftate.  If  they  took  their 
fupreme  Delight  in  God  as  the  Portion  of  their  Souls,  they 
would  not  have  any  of  their  little  petty  Idols  to  quarrel 
and  contend  about.  If  they  loved  their  Neighbours  as 
themfelves,  there  would  never  more  be  any  Thing  like 
Perfecution  \  and  all  Injuries  and  Abufes  would  ceafe  from 
the  Earth. —  So  that,  to  conclude,  as  a  Difpofition  to  love 
God  with  all  our  Hearts  and  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves, 
is  an  habitual  Conformity  to  the  whole  Law,  and  lays  a 
folid  Foundation  for  a  right  Carriage  towards  God  and  our 
Neighbour  in  all  Things  -,  fo  a  Difpofition  to  love  our 
felves  fupremely,  live  to  our  felves  ultimately,  and  delight 
in  that  which  is  not  God  wholly,  is  an  habitual  Contrariety 
to  the  whole  Law,  and  lays  a  fad  Foundation  for  all  evil 
Carriage  towards  God  and  our  Fellow-Men.  And  as  I 
fald,  this  Difpofition  is  natural  to  us,  and  we  are  naturally 
entirely  under  the  Government  of  it  :  And  fo  the  Seed  and 
Root  of  all  Sin  is  in  us,  even  in  the  native  Temper  of  our 
Hearts,  fbat  which  is  horn  of  the  Flefh,  is  Flejb. 

OBJ.  But  if  Mankind  neither  Icve  Gcd  nor  their  Neigh 
bours  with  a  genuine  Love,  fuch  as  tbeLaw  requires,  but  natu 
rally  have,  and  are  entirely  under  the  Government  of,  a  Spirit 
of  Contrariety  to  the  whole  Law  -,  whence  is  it  that  all  Men 
don't  blafpheme  God,  and  do  all  the  Mifchief  they  can,  and  in 
Practice  as  well  as  in  Nature,  be  as  bad  as  Devils  ? 

ANS.  Becaufe  of  the  Reftraints,  which  God  for  wife  Ends 
and  Purpofes,  is  pleafed  to  lay  upon  them  ;  whereby  their 
Nature  is  indeed  not  at  all  altered,  but  only  in  a  Meafure 
kept  from  breaking  out,  as  otherwife  it  would  do.  And 
thefe  Restraints,  in  ordinary,  are  fuch  as  arife  from  thefe 
Things.  ( i . )  From  their  animal  Conftitution  :  whereby  many 
are  inclined  to  be  tender-hearted,  compaflioaate  and  kind, 
without  any  Regard  to  God  or  Duty,  from  a  Sort  of  natu 
ral  Inftincl,  much  of  the  fame  Nature,  to  all  Appearance, 
as  is  to  be  found  in  many  in  the  brutalWorld. —  (2.)  From 
natural  Affettion:  whereby,  partly  from  animal  Nature, 
i.nd  partly  from  Self-love,  and  from  being  brought  up  to 
gether,  Relatives  have  a  certain  Fondnefs  for  one  another, 
ind  fo  are  difpofed  to  be  kind  to  one  another,  and  that; 

without 


I  and  diftinguifoed from  all  Counterfeits.    169 

without  any  Regard  to  God  or  Duty  ;  much  as  it  is  with 
many  in  the  brutal  World. — (3.)  From  z  good  Education  ; 
whereby  many  are  influenced  to  be  civil  in  their  Behaviour, 
ihonefl  in  their  Dealings,  kind  to  the  Poor,  and  to  pray  in 
-their  Families,  and  join  with  the  Church  &c.  tho'  deftitute 
of  Grace  in  theirHearrs. — (4.)  From  worldly  Confederations : 
whereby,  from  Self-love,  in  order  to  avoid  Punifhment 
from  Men,  or  from  fear  of  Difgrace  and  Reproach,  or  to 
get  the  Good-will  of  others,  or  promote  fome  worldly  In-: 
tereft,  Men  are  influenced  fometimes  to  carry  themfelves 
externally,  very  well. — (5.)  From  religious  Confederations  : 
whereby  from  Self-love,  the  Fear  of  Hell,  and  the  Hope  of 
Heaven,  many  are  influenced  to  do  much  in  Religion.  — 
(6.)  Want  ot  fpcculativcKnowlcdge  of  GOD  ;  Ignorance  of 
his  Refolution  to  punilh  Sin,  and  of  his  Anger  againft 
them,  is  alib  an  Occasion  of  their  not  blafpheming  his 
Name ;  as  they  will  do,  as  ibon  as  ever  they  come  into 
Eternity,  and  fee  howThings  really  be  -,  tho'  then  their  Na 
ture  will  be  exaclly  the  fame  that  now  it  is.  God  givesRain 
and  fruitful  Seafons,  and  rills  the  Hearts  of  all  with  Food 
and  Gladnefs  •,  he  makes  his  Sun  rife  and  Rain  fall  upon 
the  Evil  and  Unthankful,  and  offers  Salvation  in  Cafe  they 
repent  and  believe  ;  whence  Men  are  ready  to  think  that 
God  loves  them,  and  this  reflrains  them.  Thefe,  and  fuch 
like  Things,  reftrain  Men's  Corruptions ;  but  for  which, 
|,  they  would  be  as  bad  in  this  World,  as  they  will  be  in  the 
next,  when  thefe  Reftraints  come  to  be  taken  off. 

To  what  has  been  faid,  may  alfo  be   added,  that  God 
by  thefe  three  Methods,  does  much  to  reftrain   many. 

|(i.)  By  his  Providence  :  Whereby  he  many  Times  brings 
remarkable  Judgments  upon  Men  for  their  Sins  ;  and 
remarkably  profpers  Men,  as  to  the  Things  of  this  World, 
who  are  true  to  their  Word  and  honeft  in  their  Dealings. 
And  hereby  Men  are  afraid  to  be  and  do  as  bad  as  other- 
wife  they  would,  left  ibme  Judgment  fhouid  come  upon 
them  •,  and  others  are  influenced  to  be  honeft,  and  to  car 
ry  themfelves  externally  well,  in  hopes  of  a  worldly  Blef- 

,fing. (2.)  By  his  Word\  his  written  Word,  and  his 

Word  preached :  whereby  Men  are  made  more  fenfible 
that  there  is  a  Heaven  and  a  Hell ;  and  fo  are  the  more 

reftrained 


170          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

reflrained  and  kept  in  Awe. —  (3.)  By  bis  Spirit :  whereby 
he  does  much  to  make  many  a  Man  fenfible  of  the  Evil  of 
Sin,  the  Dreadfulnefs  of  Damnation,  and  theGlory  of  Hea 
ven,  whom  he  never  fanctiries  :  whereby  they  are  not 
only  reflrained  from  viciousPra&ices,  but  theirCorruptions 
alfo  are  greatly  ftunned,  and  they  made  zealous  Promoters 
of  Religion.  (Heb.  6.  4.)  And  thus  the  fupreme  Cover- 
nour  of  the  World  reftrains  Men's  Corruptions,  and  main 
tains  fome  Degree  of  Order  among  his- rebellious  Subjects. 

But  yet  all  thefe  Reftraints  notwjthftanding,  there  is, 
and  always  has  been,  abundance  of  Wickednefs  committed 
in  this  apoflate  World.  They  have  murthered  God's  Ser 
vants  the  Prophets,  whom  the  Lord  has  fent  unto  them, 
rifing  early  and  fending.  And  they  have  killed  his  Son, 
and  his  Apoftles,  and  med  '  the  Blood  of  Thoufands  and 
Millions  of  his  Saints.  So  great  has  been  theirAverfion  to 
God !  And  fo  great  their  Cruelty  !  And  by  the  many 
Wars  there  have  been  among  the  Nations  from  the  Begin 
ning,  the  whole  Earth  has  been  filled  with  Blood.  And 
by  cheating  and  lying  and  backbiting  and  Contention  &c. 
Hateful  and  hating  one  another ',  innumerable  Injuries  have 
been  done  to,  and  unfpeakable  Miferies  brought  upon, 
one  another.  And  as  foon  as  ever  Mankind  have  their 
Reftraints  taken  off  at  Death,  without  having  any  Sin  in- 
fufed  into  their  Nature,  they  will  appear  to  be  what  they 
are,  they  will  feel  and  act  like  very  Devils. 

But  in  the  mean  while,  by  Means  of  thefe  Reftraints 
many  deceive  themfelves.  Foi><?ur  Corruptions,  being  thus 
capable  of  being  reftrained,  and,  as  it  were,  ftunn'd,  and 
our  Lives  of  being  pretty  well  regulated  to  Appearance, 
while  our  Nature  remains  the  fame,  and  we  feeling  our 
felves  able  to  do  confiderable  towards  this ;  hence  many 
are  deceived,  and  take  this  to  be  real  Religion,  and  think 
they  did,  and  that  others  may,  convert  themfelves,  with 
but  comparatively  little  Afiiftance  from  God's  Spirit.  And 
truly  fo  they  might,if  this  was  true  Religion,&  Converfion 
confifted  in  thus  reforming  our  Lives,  and  reftraining  our 
Corruptions.  But  in  Converfion  our  very  Nature  muft  be 
changed,  (2  Cor.  5.  17.)  the  native  Bent  of  our  Hearts  muft 
be  turned;  (£2^.36.26.)  and  this  we  are  naturally  wholly 

averfe 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  171 

averfe  unto.  And  hence  arifes  the  abfolute  Neceffity  of 
a  fupernatural,  irrefiilible  Grace,  in  order  to  our  Conver- 
fion.  Of  which  more  afterwards. 

But  to  return, 

From  what  has  been  faid  we  fee,  that  we  are  natively 
difpofed  to  love  our  felves  fupremely,  to  live  to  our  felves 
ultimately/'and  delight  in  that  which  is  not  God,  wholly  : 
and  that  this  Difpofition,  by  which  we  are  naturally  entire 
ly  governed,  in  all  Things  and  under  all  Circumftances,  is 
in  direct  Contrariety  to  the  holy  Law  of  God,  and  is  ex 
ceeding  finful,  and  is  the  Root*>f  all  Sin,  of  all  our  evil 
Carnage  towards  God  and  Man,  in  Heart  and  Life.  So 
that,  as  to  have  a  Difpofition  to  love  God  with  all  our 
Hearts,  and  our  Neighbour  as  our  felves,  is  a  radical  Con 
formity  to  the  whole  Law  ^  fo  this  contrary  Difpofition  is 
a  radical  Contrariety  to  the  whole  Law.  Well  therefore 
may  the  holy  Scriptures  fpeak  of  Sinners,  as  being  dead  in 
Siny  and  at  Enmity  againjt  Gcd^  and  by  Nature  Children  of 
Wrath)  and  reprefent  them  fo  frequently  as  being  Ene 
mies  to  God.  (Eph.  2.  1,3.  Rom.  8.  7.  and  5.  10.  2  Cor. 
5.  1 8 — 20.)  Since  by  comparing  our  felves  with  the  holy 
Law  of  God,  we  are  found  to  be,  in  Faff,  natively  fo,  in 
the  Temper  of  our  Minds.  And  it  will  be  for  ever  in  vain, 
for  Mankind  to  plead  not  guilty ',  fmce  the  Law  of  God  is 
what  it  it)  and  we  are  what  we  be.  For  by*  the  Law  by 
which  is  theKnowledge  of  Sin^  we  evidently  ftand  condemned- 
Here  it  may  be  $bje&ed)  "  That  we  are  natively  no 
cc  other  wife  than  God  makes  its ;  and  if  therefore  we  are 
"  natively  finfu^  God  made  us  fo  ;  and  by  Confequence 
"  is  the  Author  of  Sin."  But  this  Objection  has  been  alrea 
dy  obviated.  For,  as  has  been  obferved,  God  only  creates 
the  naked  EHence  of  our  Souls,  our  natural  Faculties,  a 
Power  to  think  and  will  and  to  love  and  hate ;  and  this 
evil  Bent  of  our  Hearts  is  not  of  his  making^  but  is  thefponta- 
neons  Prcpenfity  of  our  own  Witts.  For  we,  being  born  de 
void  of  the  divine  Image,  ignorant  of  God,  and  infenfible 
of  his*  infinite  Glory,  do  of  our  own  Accord  turn  to  our 
felves  and  the  Things  of  Time  and  Senfe,  and  to  any 
Thing  that  fuits  a  gracelefs  Heart,  and  there  all  our  Affec 
tions  center  5  from  whence  we  natively  become  averfe  to 

God 


172          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

God  and  to  all  that  which  is  fpiritually  Good,  and  inclined 
to  all  Sin.  So  that  the  pqfitive  Corruption  of  our  Nature 
is  not  any  Thing  created  by  God  ;  but  arifes  merely  from 
a  privative  Caufe. 

Here  it  will  be  ohjeffed  again,  "  That  it  is  not  confiflent 
"  with  the  divine  Perfections,  to  bring  Mankind  into  the 
<e  World  under  fuch  fad  and  unhappy  Circumftances." — 
But  who  art  thou,  O  Man,  that  replieft  againft  God  ?  Shall 
the  Thing  formed  fay  unto  him  that  formed  it,  Why  haft  thou 
formed  me  thus  ?  It  is  blafphemous,  to  fay,  that  it  is  not 
confiflent  with  the  divine  Perfections  to  do,  what  God  IN 
FACT  does.  It  is  a  plain  Matter  of  Faff,  that  we  are 
born  into  the  World  devoid  of  the  divine  Image,  ignorant 
of  God,  infenfible  of  his  infinite  Glory.  And  it  is  a  plain 
Matter  of  Faff,  that  in  Confequence  hereof  we  are  natively 
difpofed  to  love  our  felves  fupremely,  live  to  our  felves  ul 
timately,  and  delight  in  that  which  is  not  God,  wholly. 
And  it  is  plain  to  a  Demonftration,  that  this  Temper  is  in 
direct  Contrariety  to  God's  holy  Law,  is  exceeding  finful, 
and  is  the  Root  of  all  Wickednefs.  Now,  to  fay,  it  is  not 
confident  with  the  divine  Perfections,  that  Mankind  Ihould 
be  brought  into  the  World,  as  in  FACT  they  be,  is  wick 
edly  to  fly  in  the  Face  of  our  almighty  Creator,  and  ex- 
prefsly  charge  him  with  Unrighteoufnefs  -,  which,  furely 
does  not  become  us.  If  we  cannot  fee  into  this  Difpenfa- 
tion  of  divine  Providence,  yet  we  ought  to  remember,  that 
God  is  holy  in  all  his  Ways,  and  righteous  in  all  his  Works, 
and  that  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth  always  does  right.  I 
don't  mean,  that  Things  are  therefore  right,  merely  becaufe 
God  does  them  •,  for  if  they  were  not  right  to  be  done, 
antecedently  to  his  doing  of  them,  he  would  not,  he  could 
not  do  them.  But  I  mean,  that  when  it  is  a  plain  Matter 
of  Faff  that  God  does  fuch  a  Thing,  we  may  thence  con 
clude  that  it  is  moil  certainly  right  for  him  to  do  fo,  altho* 
we  cannot  underftand  how  it  is.  We  ought  to  remember 
that  he  is  infinite  in  his  Underftanding,  and  at  one  compre- 
henfive  View  beholds  all  Things,  and  fo  cannot  but  know 
what  is  right  and  what  is  wrong  in  all  Cafes  :  and  his  Judg 
ment  is  unbiased,  the  Rectitude  of  his  Nature  is  perfect, 
he  cannot  therefore  but  do  right  always,and  in  all  Inftances 


govern 


and  diftinguijbed  from  all  Counterfeits.   173 

govern  the  World  in  Righteoufnefs.  But  our  Minds  are 
narrow  and  contracted,  we  are  but  of  Yefterday  and  know 
Nothing  :  and  befides,our  Judgments  are  biafled  thro'  our 
mean  Thoughts  of  God  and  high  Thoughts  of  our  felves  ; 
and  hence  we  may  be  eafily  miftaken.  Efpecially  in  this 
Cafe,  our  Minds  are  fadly  biafled,  and  it  is  almoft  impofli- 
ble  for  us  to  confider  the  Matter  with  a  Spirit  of  difintereft- 
ed  Impartiality.  And  thefe  Confiderations  ought  to  check 
our  riling  Thoughts,  and  make  us  lie  down  in  the  Duft 
before  the  great  and  righteous  and  good  Governour  of  the 
World,  with  humble  Silence,  even  altho'  we  cannot  under- 
ftand  his  Ways.  And  I  believe  that  a  humble  Difpofition 
of  Heart  would  lay  an  effectual  Foundation,  for  us  to  come 
to  be  fatisfyed  in  this  Matter  :  it  being  our  meanThoughts 
of  God  and  high  Thoughts  of  our  felves,  which  blinds  ovr 
our  Minds,  that  we  cannot  fee  •,  and  difpofesus  to  quarrel 
with  our  Creator,  and  find  fault  with  the  Ruler  and  Difpo- 

fer  of  the  World. It  is  true,  that  the  holy  Scriptures 

co.nfider  Mankind  as  being  what  they  be,  and  fays  but 
little  about  the  Way  in  which  they  came  to  be  in  fuch  a 
Condition.  And  there  is  good  Reafon  for  it  ;  for  it  is  of 
infinitely  greater  Importance  that  we  fhould  know  what  a 
Condition  we  are  in,  than  how  we  came  into  it.  And  it  is 
a  foolilh  Thing  for  us,  and  contrary  to  common  Senfe,  to 
lay  the  Blame  any  where  but  upon  our  felves,  fince  we  arc 
voluntarily  fuch  as  we  be,  and  really  love  to  be  what  we  be, 
do  not  fmcerely  defire  to  be  otherwife,  but  are  utterly  averfe 

to  it. But  yet  the  holy  Scriptures  fay  fo  much  about 

the  Way  of  our  coming  into  our  prefentCondition,  as  might 
fully  fatisfy  our  Minds,  were  not  our  Judgments  biafled. 
For  from  them  we  learn,  that  Man  was  made  upright,  was 
created  in  God's  Image^  and  by  rebelling,  againft  his  Maker 
brought  a  Curfe  upon  himf elf  and  all  his  Race.  Gen.  i.  27. 
•  Eccl.  7.  29.  Rom.  5.  12—19.  There  we  read,  that  by  one 
Man,  Sin  entered  into  the  World  -,  that  by  one  Man's  Difobe- 
dience,  many  were  made  Sinners  -9  that  by  the  Offence  of  one, 
Judgment  came  upon  all  Men  to  Condemnation.  Adam  was 
created  in  the  Image  of  God,  it  was  connatural  to  him  to 
love  God  with  all  his  Heart,  and  this  would  have  been  our 
had  he  not  rebelled  againft  God  ;  but  now  we  are 

bora 


174          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

born  devoid  of  the  divine  Ima4ge,have  noHeart  for  God,are 
Tranfgreffors  from  the  Womb,  by  nature  Children  of  Wrath. 
And  if  any  fhould  inquire,  "  But  can  it  be  right,  that 
"  Adam's  Sin  Ihould  have  any  Influence  upon  us  ?" 

I  Anfwer,  It   is  a  plain  Cafe,  that  it  a  dually  has,   and 
we  may  depend  upon  it,  that  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth  al 
ways  does  right.     And  befides,  why  might  not  God  make 
Adam  our  publick  Head  and  Representative  to  act  in  our 
Room,  as  he  has  lince  for  our  Recovery  made  his  own  Son 
our  publick  Head  and  Reprefentative  ?  Rom.  5.  12  —  21. 
He  had  as  much  Right ,  Power  and  Authority  for  one,  as  for 
the  other.      And  was  not  Adam  as  likely  to  remain  obedi 
ent,  as  any  of  us  ihould  have  been,  and  in  fome  Reflects 
more  likely  ?  His  natural  Powers  were  ripe  ;  he  ilood  not 
only  for  himfelf,  but  for  all  his  Race  ;    a  whole  World  lay 
at  Stake.     And  if  he  had  kept  the  Covenant  of  his  God, 
and  fecured  Happinefs  to  all  his  Race,  fhould  we  not  for 
ever  have  blefled  God,  for  fo  good  a  Conftitution  ?    Never 
once  fhould  we  have  queftioned  God's  Right  and  Authority 
to  make  him  our  publick  Head  and   Reprefentative,  or 
have  thought  that  it  did  not  become  his  Wifdom  &  Good- 
nefs  tp  truft  our  All  in  his  Hands.     And  if  we  fhouid  thus 
have  approved  this  Conftitution,  had  Adam  never  finned  •, 
why  might  we  not  as  juftly  approve  it  now,   if  we  would 
be  but  difintereftedly  impartial  ?     It  is  the  fame  in  it  felf 
now,  that  it  would  have  been  then,  every  way  as  holy,  juft 
and  good. —  "  Oh  but  for  God  to  damn  a  whole  World  for 
"  one  Sin  !„" — But  flay  ^ — Does  not  this  arife  from  mean 
Thoughts  of  God,  and  high  Thoughts  of  your  felf  ?    O, 
think  who  theLord  is  !  And  what  it  is  for  a  Worm  to  rife 
in  Rebellion  againfl  him  !  And  how  he  treated  wholeThou- 
fands  of  glorious  Angels  for  their  firft  Sin  !  And  then,think 
how  God  drowned  the  old  World,  burnt  Sodom  -,  and  of  the 
dreadful  Things  he  intends  to  do  to  the  Impenitent  at  the 
Day  of  Judgment !  And  learn,  and  believe,  that  Sin  is  an 
infinitely  greater  Evil  than  we  naturally  imagine. 

But  I  muft  return  to  my  Subject,  for  it  is  not  my  prefent 
Bufmefs  fo  much  to  fhew,  how  we  came  into  this  Condition, 
as  plainly  to  point  out  what  that  Condition  is,  which  we  are 
a  finally  in.  As  to  this,  the  whole  Scriptures  are  very  plain, 

but 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   175 

but  efpecially  the  Law,  by  which  is  the  Knowledge  of  Sin, 
clearly  difcovers  what  our  Cafe  is,  and  beyond  Difpute 
proves,  that  all  are  under  Sin.  And  having  already,  by 
comparing  our  felves  with  the  Law,  found  out  what  our 
Nature  is,  I  proceed  to  make  fome  further  Obfervatioris  j 
in  which  I  defign  much  greater  Brevity. 

4.  From  what  has  been  faid,  we  may  learn,fto  the  very 
bsft  religious  Performances  of  all  unregenerate  Man  are^  com* 
plexly  confidered,  finful^  and  fo  odious  in  the  Sight  of  God. 
They  may  do  many  Things  materially  Good^  but  the  Prin- 
ciple^End  and  Manner  of  them  are  fuch,as  that, complexly  con- 
ftdered,  what  they  do  is  Sin  in  the  Sight  of  God.  For  Sin 
is  a  'Tranfgrejfion  of  the  Law. But, 

(i.)  The  Law  requires  all  Mankind  to  do  every  Duty 
out  of  Love  to  God  and  for  his  Giory  :  But  all  unregene 
rate  Perfons,  direftly  contrary  to  Law,  do  every  Duty  mere 
ly  out  of  Love  to  themfelves  and  for  Self-Ends  :  And  fo 
are  guilty  o  f  Rebellion . 

(2.)  The  Law  requires  all  Mankind  to  do  every  Duty 
out  of  Love  to  God  and  for  his  Glory  :  But  all  unregene 
rate  Perfons  do  every  Duty  merely  out  of  Love  to  them* 
felves  and  for  Self-Ends  -,  whereby  they  prefer  themfehes  and 
their  Intereft,  above  God  and  his  Glory :  And  fo  are  guilty  of 
fpiritual  Idolatry. 

(3.)  Trie  Law  requires  all  Mankind  to  do  every  Duty 
from  Love  to  God  and  for  his  Glory  :  But  all  unregenerate 
Perfons  do  every  Duty  merely  from  Self- Love  and  for 
Self-Ends  j  and  yet  hypocritically  pretend  to  God,  that  they 
love  and  obey  him  :  And  fo  are  guilty  of  mocking  God. 

(4.)  The  Law  fuppofes  that  God  infinitely  defervestobs 
loved  with  all  our  Hearts  and  obeyed  in  every  Thing,  and. 
that  our  Neighbour  deferves  to  be  loved  as  our  felves ;  and 
that  therefore  if  we  fhould  yield  perfect  Obedience  in  all 
Things,  yet  we  Ihould  deferve  no  Thanks  :  But  all  unrege 
nerate  Perfons  make  MUCH  of  their  Duties,  tho'  fuchmi- 
ferable  poor  Things  :  And  fo  affront  God  to  his  very  Face. 

Upon  thefe  four  Accounts,  their  very  beft  Performan 
ces  are  done  in  a  Manner  directly  contrary  to  the  Law  of 
God,  and  fo  are  fmful,  and  therefore  odious  in  the  Sight  of 
God.  (Prov.  15.8.  &  21.  27.  Rom.  8.  0.  PfaL  88.  36,37.) 

As 


176       Trqe  Religion  delineated         Bis.  L 

As  is  the  Trr ,.  ^is  the  Fruit  •,  as  is  the  Fountain,  fo  are 
the  Streams  ;  A,  ^as  is  the  Man,  fo  are  his  Doings,  in  the 
Sight  of  God,  w  .Mooks  at  the  Heart  (Matt.  12.  33,34, 
35.^)  and  judges  not  according  to  Appearance,  but  judges 
righteous  Judgment :  And,  with  whom,  many  Things,that 
are  highly  efteemed  among  Men,  are  Abomination. 

And  if  their  bed  religious  Performances  are  thus  odious 
in  the  Sight  of  God,  it  is  certain  that  they  cannot  poffibly, 
in  the  Nature  of  Things,  have  the  leaft  Tendency  to  make 
Amends  for  their  pail  Sins,  or  recommend  them  to  the  di 
vine  Favour  •,  but  rather  tend  to  provoke  God  dill  more. 
So  that  it  is  not  cf  bim  that  Wills,  nor  of  kirn  that  Runs,  but 
of  God  that  Jhews  Mercy.  Nor  is  there  the  leaft  Hope  in 
the  Sinner's  Cafe,  but  what  arifes  from  the  fovereign  Mer 
cy  of  God  ;  whereby  he  can  have  Mercy  on  whom  he  will  have 
Mercy_^  and  have  Comfaffion  en  whom  he  will  haveCompaJfion. 
Rom.  9.  15,  1 8. 

True,  fome  being  ignorant  of  theLaw,  and  of  our  entire 
Contrariety  to  it,  have  fancied  aGoodnefs  in  the  Sinner's 
Duties  ;  and  hence  have  perfwaded  themfelves  that  there  are 

Fromifes  of  fpecialGrace  made  to  them. Not  that  there 

are  anyPromifes  inScripture,  of  that  Nature  ;  for  theScrip- 
ture  every  where  confiders  us  as  being,  while unregenerate, 
dead  in  Sin.  Eph,  2.1.  Enemies  to  God.  Rom.  5.  10.  2 Cor. 
5.  17 — 20.  Col.  i.  21.  Yea,  Enmity  againft  him.  Rom. 
8..  7.  And  fo  far  from  any  true  and  acceptableObedience 
to  God, as  that  we  are  not^nor  can  be  fubjed  to  the  Law, and 
fo  cannot  fleafeGod.  Rom.  8.  7,  8.  And  every  where  repre- 
fents  fuch,  as  being  under  the  Wrath  of  God,  the  Curfe  of  the 
jL*m>,and  a  prefent  Condemnation,  Joh.  3.  18,  36.Rom.  1.18. 
Gal.  3. 10. — But  the  real  Ground  of  their  Opinion  is,  their 
Ignorance  of  the  Sinner's  finful,  guilty  Circumftances,  and 
their  fond  Conceit  that  there  is  fome  real  Goodnefs  in  what 
the  Sinner  does.  Both  which,  are  owing  to  their  Igno 
rance  of  the  Law,  *  and  of  the  Nature  of  true  Holinefs. 

Rom. 

*  Tis  manifeft,  that  this  Notion  of  the  Promifes,  of  which  Pelagius  was 
the  Author,  and  which  was  condemned  for  Herefy  above  1 300  Years 
a^o,  did  with  him,  and  does  with  his  Followers,take  its  Rife  originally 
from  their  Ignorance  of  the  Nature  and  Meaning  Of  sfce  moral  Law. 

f  6  *!  But 


.and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   177 

Rom.  7.  8,  9.  Rom.  10.  3.  All  will  own,  that  if  Sinners 
Duties,  are  fuch  as  I  have  reprefented,  it  is  abfurd,and  even 
inconfillent  with  the  divine  Perfections,  that  Promifes  of 
ipecial  Grace,  ihouid  be  made  to  them. 

'Tis  true,  they  refer  to  Matt.  25.  29.  To  him  that  hatb9 

flail  be  given.     But  that  Text  evidently  fpeaks  of  the  final 

-Rewards  which  fhall  be  given  to  the  Godly  at  the  Day  of 

Judgment  •,  when  all  the  Unregenerate  fh?all,with  thejloth- 

ful  Servant  ^  Is  caft  into  outer  Darknefs. They  quote 

alfo  Matt.  7,  7.  Afk  and  you  Jhall  receive^  &c.  But  the  Con 
dition  of  this  Promife  was  never  yet  performed  by  an 
unregenerate  Sinner.  For  this  a/king  is  meant  right  ajkingy 
for  thofe  who  afk  amifs  receive  nothing.  Jam.  4.  3.  Right 
a/king  of  Grace,  fuppofes  right  Defires  of  it  ;  but  the  un 
regenerate  are  in  the  habitual  Temper  of  their  Hearts  di 
rectly  contrary  to  Grace  and  all  fpiritual  Good,  and  en 
tirely  ib,  as  has  been  proved.  But  to  have  genuine  Defires 
after  a  Thing,  and  a  per/eft  Contrariety  to  it,  in  the  whole 
Heart,  at  the  fame  Time,  is  an  exprefs  Contradiction. 
The  Reafon  that  Sinners  many  Times  think  that  they  love 
Holinefs,  and  defire  heartily  and  fincerely  to  be  made  holy,  is, 
that  they,  being  ignorant  of  the  Nature  of  true  Holinefs, 
have  framed  zfalfe  Image  of  it  in  their  own  Fancies.  Did 
they  but  diftinctly  know,  the  very  Thing  itfelf*  their  native 
Contrariety  to  it  could  no  longer  be  hid.  Rom.  j. 8,9.  So  the 
Pharifees  thought  they  loved  God,  and  loved  his  Law ;  al- 
tho*  at  the  fame  Time  they  perfectly  hated  the  Son  of  God, 
who  was  the  exprefs  Image  of  his  Father,  and  came  into 
the  World  to  do  Honour  to  his  Father's  Law.  They  had 
wrong  Notions  of  God  and  of  his  Law. 

OBJ.  But  this  tends  to  drive  Sinners  toDeJpair. 

ANSW.  Only  to  defpair  of  being  faved  by  their  own 
Righteoufnefs,  which  they  muft  be  driven  to,  or  they  will 
never  fubmit  to  be  faved  by  free  Grace  thro'  Jefus  Chrift. 
Rom.  7.  8,9.  and  ip.  3.  OBJ« 

N 

But  yet  Come  good  Men  may  have  been  inadvertently  led  into  this 
Error  by  the  Force  of  Education.  I  believe  Men's  Hearts  may  be 
fbmetimes  better  than  theirHeads.  But  whenafalfe  Scheme  of  ReLU 
gion  -sfoes  perfe&ly  fuit  a  Man's  Heart,  and  exprefs  the  Temper  of  his 
Mind,  then  no  Doubt  he  is  gracelefs.  2  Job.  9.  &  Joh.  8.  47.  The 
above  Notta  cf  Ihe  Promifes  perfectly  fuits  a  felf-righteous  Heart* 


178        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I* 

OBJ.  But  if  thefe  Things  be  true,  there  is  not  any  Motive  to 
excite  a  poor  Stmer  to  ?cform,cr  pray,  or  read,or  do  anything. 
ANSW.  By  which,  it  is  plain,  that  a  Sinner  cares  not  a 
Jot  for  God,  aid  will  net  go  one  Step  in  Religion,only  for 
what  he  can  get.  And  if  f~ch  a  Sinner  had  ever  fo  many 
Motives,  he  would  only  ferve  himfelf,  but  not  ferve  God 
at  all.  And  what  Encouragement  can  God,confiftent  with 
his  Honour,  give  to  fuch  a  one,  fince  he  merits  Hell  every 
Moment,  even  by  his  beft  Duties,  but  only  that  which  St. 
Peter  gave  to  Simon  Magus  ?  Act.  8.22.  Repent, and  pray  to 
Godjf  PERADPENfJRE  tbeWi&t^&f  tby Heart  may 
be  forgiven  thee. 

OBJ.  But  this  way  of  Reafoning  will  make  Sinners  leave  off 
feekmg  andftrivixg,  and  fit  down  dijcouraged. 

ANSW.  Not  if  Sinners  are  but  effectually  awakened  to 
fee  how  dreadful  Damnation  is  ;  for  a  bare,  Who  can  tell? 
will  make  fuch  refolve  to  run,  and  fight,  and  ftrive,  and 
beg,  and  pray  'till  they  die  •,  and  if  they  periih,  to  perifh 
at  God's  Foot.  And  as  for  others,  all  their  Courage  ari- 
fes  from  their  not  feeing  what  wretched,  miferable,  finful, 
guilty  Creatures  they  are  ;  and  fo  muft  be  dalh'd  to  Pieces 
fooner  or  later,  in  this  World  or  the  next,  whenever  their 
Eyes  come  to  be  opened.  And  if  God  ever  in  thisWorld 
Ihews  them  what  they  be,  they  will  thereby  perceive  what 
Danger  they  are  in  :  And  now  a  mere  who  can  tell  ?  will 
make  them  alfo  refolve  to  run  for  eternal  Salvation,  'till 
their  very  laft  Breath.  'Tis  beft  that  falfeConfidence  fhould 
be  killed,  and  this  Way  of  Reafoning  does  not  in  the  leaft 
tend  to  hurt  any  other.  'Tis  beft  that  Sinners  Ihould  know 
the  worft  of  their  Cafe,  and  this  Way  of  Reafoning  does 
not  tend  to  make  it  appear  a  Jot  worfe  than  it  is. 

OHJ.  But  what  Good  dees  it  do,  for  Sinners  to  be  in  fuch 
earnsft  to  reform,  read,  watch,  pray,  run,  fight,  ftrive^  as  for 
for  their  Lives ;  fince  all  they  do  is  Sin, and  God  will  have  Mercy* 
only  en  whom  he  will  have  Mercy. 

ANSW.  (i.)  It  is  lefs  Sin  to  do  thefe  Things,  than  not  to 
do  them. 

(2.)  Sinners  never  will  be  in  fuch  earnefr.,  only  when 
God  comes  to  awaken  and  convince,  and  Ib  to  make  them 
cfic&waliy  fonfible  of  the  dreadful  State  they  are  in.  s  and  it 

•   is 


and  dijlingulfhed from  all  Counterfeits.   1 79 

is  not  any  Difcouragements  that  can  keep  them  from  being 
in  fuch  earned  then  Jo  long  as  the  leafiHope  appears  in  their 
Cafe.  Other  People  care  but  little  about  eternal  Things, 
and  do  but  very  little  in  Religion,  but  what  Education, 
Cuftom,  the  Faihion  and  their  worldly  Intereft  excites  them 
onto.  Moft  People  think  it  fo  eafy  a  Thing  to  be  faved, 
as  that  they  look  upon  fuch  great  Concern  and  Earneftnefs, 
as  perfect  Frenzy. 

(3.)  This  great  Earneftnefs  of  awakened  Sinners  makes 
them  try  their  Strength  to  Purpofe  ;  whereby  they  come 
to  be  experimentally  convinced,  that  it  is  not  in  their 
Hearts  to  love  God,  be  forry  for  Sin,  or  do  any  Thing 
that  is  Good  •,  whereby  the  high  Conceit  they  ufed  to 
have  of  their  Ability  and  good  Nature  is  brought  down, 
and  they  feel  and  find  that  they  are  Enemies  to  God  and 
dead  in  Sin.  And  hereby  a  Foundation  is  laid  for  them 
to  fee  the  Juftice  of  God  in  their  Damnation,  and  fo  the 
Reafonabienefs  of  God's  having  Mercy,  only  on  whom  he 
will  have  Mercy.  And  thus  the  Law,  tho'  it  cannot  give 
Life,  yet  is  a  School-mqfter  to  bring  Men  to  Cbrift.  And  thus 
the  main  Good  the  awakened  Sinner  gets,  by  going  to  this 
School-mafter^  is  effectually  to  learn  his  Need  of  Chrift,and 
ofthe  freeGrace  ofGod  thro'  him. ^07^.7,8, p.G^/.g. 2 1 — 24. 
This  is  the  great  End  God  has  in  View,  and  this  End  all 
the  Sinner's  earneft  Strivings  are  well  calculated  to  obtain. 

5.  From  what  has  been  faid,  we  may  learn  the  Nature  of 
afaving  Convtrfion^  and  the  Manner  wherein  it  is  wrought* 
Converlion  confifts  in  our  being  recovered,  from  our  pre- 
fent  Sinfulnefs,  to  the  moral  Image  of  God  :  Or  which  is 
the  fame  Thing,  to  a  real  Conformity  to  the  moral  Law. 
But  a  Conformity  to  the  moral  Law,  confifts  in  a  Difpofi- 
tion  to  love  God  fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimately,  and 
delight  in  him  fuperlatively  •,  and  to  love  our  Neighbour 
as  our  fclves  :  and  a  Practice  agreable  thereto.  And  there 
fore  Converfion  confifts  in  our  being  recovered  from  what 
we  are  by, Nature,. to  fuch  a  Difpofition  and  Practice. 

And  now  in  order  to  fuch  a  glorious  Renovation  and 
Recovery,  God  by  his  Spirit  fcts  home  the  Law  upon  the 
Sinner's  Heart,  caufing  him  to  fee  and  feel,  to  Purpofe, 
juft  how  he  has  lived,  and  what  he  is,  and  what  he  deferves, 

N  2  and 


1 8  o        True  Religion  delineated         D  i  s .  •  I. 

and  how  he  is  in  the  Hands  of  a  fovereign  God,  and  at  his 
Difpofal :  whereby  the  Hindrances  which  were  in  the  Way 
of  his  Converfion,are  in  a  Sort  removed.  Rom.  7.8,  9.  For 
without  the  Law  Sin  was  dead.  For  I  was  alive  without  the 
Law  once :  but  when  the  Commandment  camt^  Sinrevived^and 

1  died. —  And  then  God  who  commanded  the  Light  to  Jkive 
cut  of  Darknefs^jhines  in  the  Heart ,  and  gives  the  Light  of  the 
Knowledge  of  the  Glory  of  God  in  the  Face  of  Jefus  Chrifty 

2  Cor.  4.  6.  And  now  a  Senfe  of  the  Glory  of  God  and 
divine  Things  being  thus  imparted  to  the  Soul  by  the  Spi 
rit  of  God,  and  the  Sinner  being  raifed  up  from  fpiritual 
Death  to  fpiritual  Life,  does  return  home  to  God  thro* 
Jefus  Chrift,  venturing  his  Soul  and  immortal  Concerns 
upon  the  free  Grace  of  God,  and  thro*  him  gives  up  himfelf 
to  God  to  be  his  for  ever  -9  to  love  him  fupremely,    live  to 
him  intirely,  and  delight  in  him  fuperlatively,  and  for  ever 
to  walk  in  all  hisWays.     And  hereby  at  the  fameTime  the 
Man's  Heart  begins  to  be  habitually  framed  to  love  his 
Neighbour  as  himfelf,    with  a  difmterefted  Impartiality. 
And  thus  an ^effectual  Foundation  is  laid,  for  univerfal  ex 
ternal  Obedience,  and  that  from  genuine  Principles. 

And  as  the  divine  Life  is  thus  begun,  fo  it  is  carried  on 
in  the  Soul  much  after  the  fame  Manner.  The  Spirit  of 
God  mews  the  Believer  more  and  more  what  a  poor,  finful, 
Hell-deferving  Wretch  he  is  in  himfelf,  and  fo  makes  him 
more  and  more  fenfible  of  his  abfolute  Need  of  free  Grace 
thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  to  pardon  &  to  fan&ify  him.  He  grows 
in  a  Senfe  of  thefe  Things  all  his  Days  ;  whereby  his  Heart 
is  kept  humble,  and  Chrift  and  free  Grace  made  more  pre 
cious.  The  Spirit  of  God  ihews  the  Believer  more  &  more 
of  the  infinite  Glory  and  Excellency  of  God,  whereby  he  is 
more  and  more  influenced  to  love  him,  live  to  him,  and 
delight  in  him,  with  all  his  Heart.  And  by  the  whole, 
his  Heart  is  framed  more  and  more  to  love  his  Neighbour 
as  himfelf.  And  thus  the  Path  of  the  Juft  is  like  a  Jhining 
Light  i  that  flrines  more  and  more,  to  theperfeftDay.  Prov.4. 
18.  Only,  it  muft  be  obferved,  that  the  Spirit's  Operations 
after  Coriverfion,  are  attended  with  two  Differences,  arifing 

from  two  Caufes. (i.)  From  the  different  State  of  the 

Subject  wrought  upon.    The  Believer  not  being  under  the 

Law 


and  diKinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits  1  8  1 

Law  as  a  Covenant,  is  not  by  the  Spirit  filled  with  thofe 
legal  Terrors  arifmg  from  the  Fears  of  Hell,  as  heretofore 
he  was.  Rom.  8.  15.  But  only  is  made  fenfible  of  his  re 
maining  Sinfulnefs,and  the  Sinfulnefs  andDefert  of  Sin,and 
of  God's  fatherly  Difpleafure.     And  hereby  his  Heart  is 
humbled  and  broken.     Indeed  hereby  he  is  many  Times 
filled  with  unfpeakable  Anguifh  and  Bitternefs  of  Soul. 
His  Sins  are  ever  before  his  Eyes^  and  his  Bones  wax  old  thr(? 
'  bis  roaring  all  the  Day  long.  Pfal.  23.  3.  and  51.  3.  He  is 
troubled,  he  is  bowed  down  greatly  r,  he  goes  mourning  all  the 
Day  long.  Pfal.  38.  i  —  6.    But  thefe  awakening,  convinc 
ing,  humbling,  mourning,  purifying  Times  always  end  in 
Peace  and  Joy  and  Reft  in  God  j  attended  with  a  greater 
Degree  of  Tendernefs  of  Confcience  and  holy  Watchfulnefs, 
and  followed  with  bringing  forth  more  Fruit.  Pfal.  97.  i  r. 
and  126.  5,  6.  Pfal.  32.  5.  and  73.  25  —  28.  Joh.  15.  2. 
2  Cor.  7.  10,  ii.  Heb.  12.  n.  Hof.  2.  6,  7,  14,  15.  - 
(2.)  From  the  different  Nature  of  the  Subject  wrought  up 
on.     The  Believer  not  being  under  the  full  Power  of  Sin 
and  at  perfect  Enmity  againft  God,  as  once  he  was,  hence 
does  not  refift  the  Spirit  with  the  whole  Heart,   while  he 
takes  down  the  Power  of  Sin,   as  heretofore  he  did  •,  but 
has  a  genuine  Difpofition  to  join  in  on  God's  Side,  and  fay, 
"  Let  me  be  effectually  weaned  from  the  World,  and  hum- 
"  bled,  and  made  holy  and  heavenly,  and  be  brought  into 
I   "  an  entire  Subjection  to  God  in  all  Things,  tho'  by  Means 
"  and  Methods  ever  fo  crofs  to  Flefh  and  Blood.  Let  me 
"  be  ftript  naked  of  all  worldly  Comforts,  and  let  Shimez 
curfe,  and  all  outward  Evils  and  inward  Anguifh  of 
"  Heart  come  upon  me,  if  nothing  eife  will  do.     Here 
<c  Lord,  I  be  in  thy  Hands,  chaften,  correct,  do  what  thou 
**  wilt  with  me  •,  only  let  Sin  die  :  Sin  thine  Enemy,  the 
•c  worft  Evil,  and  the  greateft  Burthen  of  my  Soul."  Rom. 
7.  24.  2  Cor.  4.  8,9,16.  Jam.  i.  2.  Pfal.  119.  71.  Heb.  12.9. 
And  he  is  not  only  thus  willing  that  God  mould  by  anyMe- 
thods  take  down  thePower  of  Sin  in  hisHeart,but  alfo  joins 
in  with  theMethods  of  divine  Grace,  and  by  watching  and 
praying,  and  by  fighting  and  ftriving,  feeks  the  Death  of 
every  Corruption.  And  from  his  thus  joining  in  on  God's 
Side  againft  the  Flejh,  he  is  faid  in  Scripture  to  crucify  it. 

N  3  Gal 


" 


1 82          'Trite  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

Gal.  5.  24.  And  to  wcrk  out  his  own  Salvation.  Phil. 
2. 13. 

From  what  has  been  faid  under  this  Head,  we  may  fee 
that  a  faving  Converfion  differs  very  much  from  the  Con- 

verfion  of  thefe  four  Sorts  of  Men. (i.)  'The  worldly 

Hypocrite.  Who  makes  a  ProfefTion  of  Religion,  does  many 
Things,  appears  zealous,  and  pretends  to  be  a  good  Man, 
merely  from  worldly  Confiderations,  and  to  be  feen  of 

Men.  Mat.  23.5. (2.)  The  legal  Hypocrite.     Whofe 

Converfion  is  nothing  elfe,  but  a  leaving  off  his  vicious 
Practices,  and  turning  to  be  flricl  and  confcientious  in  ex 
ternal  Duties,  in  Hopes  thereby  to  make  Amends  for  his 
pafl  Sins,  and  recommend  himfelf  to  God  ;  and  fo  efcape 
Hell  and  get  to  Heaven.  Rom.  10.  3. (3.)  The  evan 
gelical  Hypocrite.  Whofe  Converfon  was  nothing  elfe  but 
this,  he  was  awakened  to  fee  his  Sins,  and  terrified  with 
Fear  of  Hell,  and  humbled  in  a  Meafure,  but  not  thoro'ly, 
but  great  Light  broke  into  his  Mind,  and  now  he  believes 
that  Chrift  loves  him,  and  has  pardoned  all  his  Sins,  and 
fo  is  filled  with  Joy  and  Zeal,  and  is  become  quite  another 
Man:  But  flill  has  no  Grace.  Mat.  13.  20.  Heb.  6.  4. 
2  Pet.  2.  20.  Thefe  ufually  either  fall  away  to  carnal  Se-- 

curity,  or  being  puft  up  with  Pride  turn  Enthufiafts. 

(4.)  f  be  wild)  blazing  Enthufiafi.  Whofe  Converfion  all 
arifes  from  imaginary  Notions.  He  has  an  imaginary  Sight 
of  his  Sin,  his  Heart,  the  Wrath  of  God,  of  Hell  and  the 
Devil,  and  is  terribly  diflrefTed  :  And  then  he  fees  Chrift 
in  a  bodily  Shape,  it  may  be  on  the  Crofs  with  his  Blood 
running,  or  feated  on  a  Throne  of  Glory  at  his  Father's 
right  Hand,  he  fees  a  great  Light  fhining  all  round  him, 
hears  the  Angels  fing,  fees  Vifions,  hears  Voices,  has  Reve 
lations,  and  thinks  himfelf  one  of  the  very  bed  Saints  in  the 
whole  World,  tho*  in  Truth  he,  by  fcandalous  Practices, 
or  heretical  Principles,  or  both,  foon  appears  to  be  feve.n 
Times  more  a  Child  of  the  Devil  than  he  was  before. 
However,  in  his  own  Conceit,  he  knows  infallibly  that  he 
is  right,  arid  all  the  World  can't  convince  him  to  the  con 
trary.  Yea  he  is  fit  at  once  to  be  a  Minifter,  tho'  ignorant 
of  the  firft  Principles  of  Religion  •,  lie  is  infpired  by  God, 
and  whoever  likes  him  not  is  aa  Enemy  to  Jcfus  Chrift,  he 

doubts 


and  dijlmguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  183 

doubts  not  at  all.'  Thefe  are  the  Tares  the  Devil  fows,  by 
Means  of  whom  the  Ways  of  God  are  evil  fpoken  of. 
Mat.  13,  39.  2  Cor.  ii.  14.  i  'Tim.  i.  7. 

Now  thefe  feveral  Sorts  of  Religion,  the  true  and  the 
falfe,  growing  up  from  thefe  feveral  Roots,  do  all  receive  a 
different  Nourifhment,  according  to  their  different  Nature ; 
thro'  which  Nourilhment,  they  grow  and  increafe  •,  and 
thro*  the  want  of  which  they  decay,  fbe  good  Man,  the 
greater  Senfe  he  has  of  God's  infinite  Glory,  as  he  has  re 
vealed  himfelf  in  the  Law  and  in  the  Gofpel,  fo  proportio- 
nably  does  his  Religion  flourim  and  grow  in  all  it's  various 
Branches,  and  mine  with  a  heavenly  Luftre.  The  worldly 
Hypocrite  lays  out  himfelf  moft  in  Religion,  when  there  are 
the  moft  to  obferve  and  applaud  him.  ¥be  legal  Hypocrite, 
when  his  Confcience  is  moft  terrified,  with  the  Thoughts  of 
Death  •,  Judgment  &  Eternity.  And  the  evangelical  Hypo 
crite  has  his  Affections  raifed,  his  Love  and  Joy  and  Zeal* 
in  Proportion  to  his  fuppofed  Difcoveries  of  the  Love  of 
Chrift  to  him  in  particular,  and  Senie  of  the  Glories  of 
(a  fancied)  Heaven.  And  finally,  the  blazing  Enthujiaft  is 
more  or  left  lively  in  Religion  according  as  he  has  Dreams, 
hears  Vo^ts,  has  ImprefTions  and  Revelations,  and  is  ap- 

pl^uded  by  his  Party. And  accordingly  thofe  different 

Sorts  of  Religion,  will  grow  and  thrive  the  beft,  under 
fuch  different  Sorts  of  Preaching,  as  fuits  their  feveral  Na 
tures  :  And  Men  will  cry  up  thofe  Minifters  moft,  \fhofc 
Preaching  and  Conduct  agree  with  their  Hearts  the  beft, 
Mic.  4.  5.  For  aU  People  will  walk,  every  one  in  the  Name  of 
bis  God.  And  true  Believers  will  walk  in  the  Name  of  the 
LORD  their  GOD.— 

6,  From  all  that  has  been  faid,  we  may  learn  that  a  Sin 
ner  is  naturally  difpofed  to  refift  the  Spirit  of  God,  with  all 
bis  Might,  when  he  comes  to  awaken,  convince  and  humble 
him,  to  take  down  the  Power  of  Sin  in  his  Heart,  and  turn 
him  to  God.  Converfion  confifts  in  our  being  recovered 
from  the  linful  State  we  are  in  by  Nature,  to  a  real  Con 
formity  to  the  divine  Law.  i.  e.  in  our  being  recovered 
from  a  Difpofition  to  love  our  felves  fupremely,  live  to. our 
felves  ultimately,  and  delight  in  that  which  is  not 
Wholly,  and  a  Practice  agreeable  to  this  Difpofition- 

N  4  '  a 


184          Irue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

a  Difpofition  to  love  God  fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimate 
ly,  and  delight  in  him  fuperlatively,  and  to  love  our  Neigh 
bours  as  our  felves,  and  a  Practice  agreeable  thereto,  i.  e. 
In  other  Words,  in  our  being  recovered  from  one  Difpo- 
fition,to  another  directly  contrary  to  it  -,  even  fo  contrary, 
that  the  firft  muft  die,  in  order  to  the  others  Exiflence. 
This  Difpofhion  from  which  we  are  to  be  recovered,  is  not 
any  Habit  contracted  merely  by  Cuftom,  which  might 
jnore  eafily  be  parted  with  ;  but  it  is  connatural  to  us,  a 
Pifpofition  rooted  as  it  were  in  our  very  Nature,  and  which 
has  the  full  PoiTefTion  of  our  Souls,  and  the  entire  Govern 
ment  of  our  Hearts  :  In  a  Word,  a  Difpofition,  which  we 
in  every  Refpect  perfectly  love,  and  which  we  perfectly 
hate  fhould  be  ever  crofs'd,  &  which  yet  muft  be  (lain  or  we 
never  converted.  Now  if  ever  a  Sinner  be  recovered  from 
this  Pifpofition,  'tis  evident  it  muft  be  againft  the  very 
Grain  of  his  Heart :  his  Heart  therefore  will  make  the 
ytmoft  Refiflancc,  it  poflibly  can. 

If  we  were  entirely  renewed  in  an  Inftant,  without  any 
f  regions  Strivings  of  the  Spirit,  then  indeed  there  would  be 
no  Room  nor  Time  for  Refiftance  :  but  otherwife  the 
Heart  will  refill.  If  there  were  the  leaft  Difpofition  in  our 
Hearts,  contrary  to  our  natural  Difpofition  to  love  pur 
felves  fupremely,  live  to  our  felves  ultimately,  and  delight 
In  that  which  is  not  God  wholly,  it  might  join  in  on  God's 
Side,  be  fmcerely  defirous  that  God  would  flay  the  Enmity 
of  our  Hearts  ;  but  there  is  not.  The  carnal  Mind  is 
wholly  Enmity  againft  God,  is  riot  fubject  to  his  Law,  nor 
can  be  ;  and  fo  the  whole  Heart  will  make  Refiftance.  If 
the  Pii^ofition  to  which  we  are  recovered  in  Converfion, 
were  not  fo  directly  contrary  to  our  natural  Difpofition,  as 
trmt  pur  natural  Difpofition  muft  be  {lain,  in  order  to  the 
very  being  of  that,  the  Sinner's  Oppofition  might  not  be 
fo  great ;  but  when  all  that  is  within  him  is  directly  crofs- 
cd  and  going  to  be  killed,  all  that  is  within  him  will  oppofe 
and  refift,  'till  flain.  We  are  by  Nature  wholly  in  tbe  Fkjh 
and  after  tbe  Flejb ;  according  to  &np/#re-Phrafe,  That 
Which  is  born  of  the  Flejb,  is  Flefo  :  and  by  Converiion  we 
are  to  become  Spirit  -9  That  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  is 
Spirit,  But  tfie  Flejb  afld  the  Spirit  are  in  Scripture  repre- 

fented 


and  diftinguljhed from  all  Counterfeits.   185 

fented  as  being  contrary  the  one  to  the  other.  Will  Flejb 
then  of  it's  own  Accord  become  Spirit  ?  No  furely.  For 
the  Flejb  luftetb  againft  the  Spirit,  i.  e.  Is  wholly  averfe  to  it, 
and  fet  againft  it.  So  that  there  is  no  otherWay,but,accord- 
ing  to  £r/p/»r£-Phrafe,  the  Flejb  muft  be  crucified,  with  the 
Affe&ions  &  Lufts.  But  the  Fle/h perfectly  hates  thisDeath, 
and  therefore  will  rcfifl  with  all  it's  Might.  Rom.  8.  7,  8. 
Joh.  3.  6.  Gal  5.17.  Rom.  6.  6. 

As  the  Truth  of  this  Point  is  thus  evident  from  theRea- 
fon  and  Nature  of  Things,  fo  it  is  farther  confirmed  from 
conftant  Experience.  For  let  any  Man  read  the  Bible  with 
Attention,  and  he  may  plainly  fee,  that  the  very  Thing, 
which  God  has  always  been  driving  at,  in  all  the  external 
Means,  he  has  tiled  with  his  profefiing  People3in  every  Age 
of  the  World,  has  been  to  recover  them  to  a  Conformity  to 
his  hcly  Law  in  Heart  and  Life.  i.  e.  To  recover  them  from 
aJDifpofition  to  love  themfelves  fupremeiy,  live  to  them- 
felves  ultimately,  and  delight  in  that  which  is  not  God 
wholly,  and  a  Praclice  agreeable  thereunto  ;  To  a  Difpoii- 
tion  to  love  God  fupremeiy,  live  to  him  ultimately,  and 
delight  in  him  fuperlatively,  and  to  love  their  Neighbours 
as  themfelves,  and  to  praclife  accordingly  :  For  on  thefe 
two  Commands  hang  all  the  Law  and  the  Prophets.  And 
we  may  alfo  plainly  fee,  that  God's  profeffing  People  have 
always  manifefted  the  greatcft  Averfion  to  hearken  to  the 
Law  and  to  the  Prophets ;  and  fo  to  die  to  themfelves,  the 
World  and  Sin ;  and  thus  to  give  up  themfelves  to  God 
to  love  him,  live  to  him,  delight  in  him,  and  walk  in  all 
his  Ways.  God  fent  all  his  Servants,  the  'Prophets^  to  the 
Children  of  Ifrael^  rifmg  early  and  fending ;  but  they  al 
ways  hated  their  Words,  and  fo  flopped  their  Ears,  and 
refufed  to  obey  :  Yea,  they  fell  into  a  Rage  at  them,  and 
in  their  Rage,  they  mocked  them,they  fcourged  them,  they 
bound  them,  they  imprifoned  them,  they  ftoned  them,  they 
fawed  them  afunder,  and  made  the  reft  wander  about  in 
Defarts  and  Mountains,  and  in  Dens  and  Caves  of  the 
Earth,  in  Sheep-Skins  and  Goat-Skins,  deftitute,  afflided, 
tormented.  Heb.  11.35 — 38.  And  when  God  fent  his 
well-beloved  Son  to  call  a  wicked  World  to  return  home 
unto  to  him,they  faid,  Com^let  us  /W/&;#,Mat.2i.33— 39. 

And 


1 86         True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  L 

And  when  Chrift  fent  his  dpoftles  to  carry  the  glad  Tidings 
of  Pardon  and  Peace  to  the  Ends  of  the  Earth,  and  call  all 
Men  to  repent  and  be  converted,  to  return  and  love  and 
ferve  the  living  God,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  confpired  to 
gether  againft  them,  and  killed  them  •,  jufl  as  the  ten  Tribes 
killed  the  Meflenger,  whom  Rehoboam  fent  unto  them,  to 
call  and  invite  them  to  return  to  their  former  Allegiance. 
i  Kin.  12.  1 8.  Therefore  fays  our  blefTed  Saviour  to  the 
Jews  who  pretended  great  Love  to  God  &  to  theLaw,  and 
mightily  to  honour  theirProphets,J^^  are  like  whitedSepul- 
chres,you  appear  outwardly  righteous,  but  inwardly  are  full  of 
all  Hypocrify  &  Wickedness.  Tour  Fathers  killed  theProphets> 
whom  you  pretend  to  Honour ',  but  you  are  full  as  bad  as  they 
were.  Te  Serpents,  ye  Generation  of  Fipers,  &c.  Wherefore, 
behold^  I  fend  unto  you  Prophets  and  wife  Men  and  Scribes  ; 
and  fome  of  them  ye  Jh all  kill  and  crucify,  andfome  of  them  ye 
Jhall  fcourge  in  your  Synagogues ,  and  perfecute  them  from  City 

to  City. O  Jerufalem,  Jerufalem,  thou  that  killeft  the 

Prophet s^  and  ft  ow ft  them  that  are  fent  unto  thee !  How  often 
would  I  have  gathered  thy  Children  together,  even  as  the  Hen 
gathereth  her  Chickens  under  her  Wings,  and  ye  WOULD 
NOT!  Mat.  23,  27 — 37.  From  all  which,  nothing  can 
be  plainer,  than  that  this  rebellious  God-hating  World 
always  have  been  fet  againft  a  Return  to  God,  and  been  dif  • 
pofed  to  do  all  they  could,  to  render  all  Means  ineffectual. 
Well  might  St.  Stephen  therefore,  fay  unto  the  Jews,  as  he 
did,  v&Afts,  7.  51.  Yeftiff-neckedanduncircumrifedinHeart 
and  Ears,  ye  do  always  re/ft  the  holy  Ghoft :  as  your  Fathers 
did,fo  do  ye :  Nor  had  they  any  Reafon  to  be  angry  with 
him  therefor. 

And  as  all,  who  have  enjoyed  the  external  Means  of 
Grace,  have  thus  been  difpofed  to  hate  the  Light,  fhut  their 
Eyes,  flop  their  Ears  and  refufe  to  hear,  and  been  utterly 
averfe  to  a  return  to  God  ;  fo  this  is  evidently  the  Cafe  with 
all  whom  God  has  inwardly  wrought  upon  by  his  Spirit  5 
as  all  know,  who  have  either  had  any  Experience  them- 
felves,  or  have  candidly  obferved  the  Experience  of  others. 
And  indeed  it  muft  be  fo  •,  for  the  very  fame  Temper, 
which  will  make  Men  refift  the  outward,  will  alfo  difpofe 
them  to  refift  the  inward  Means  of  Grace.  For  the  holy 

Spirit 


and  diftmguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  187 

Spirit  teaches  and  urges  the  very  fame  Things,  that  Mofes 
and  the  Prophets?  and  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles  teach  and  urge, 
and  drives  at  the  fame  End  ;  and  will  therefore  of  Confe- 
quence  meet  with  the  fame  Oppofition  and  Refiftance,  from 
the  very  fame  Quarter.  This  is  the  Condemnation,  that  Light 
is  come  into  the  World  -,  and  Men  love  Darknefs  rather  than 
Light^  becaufe  their  Deeds  are  Evil.  He  that  doth  Evil,  hatetb 
the  Light.  Joh.  3.  19,20.  That  Light  which  will  difcover 
Men's  evil  Deeds,  and  fhew  them  their  fallen,  finful,  guilty, 
helplcfs  undone  Condition  •,  and  fo  fpoil  all  their  worldly, 
carnal  Comforts,  the'  very  Idols  of  their  Hearts  j  and  alfo 
kill  their  legal  Self-righteous  Hopes ;  which  is  all  the 
awaken'd  and  concerned  Sinner  has,  to  his  own  Senfe  and 
Apprehenfion,  to  depend  upon  ;  that  Light  which  effects 
Things,  which  are  fo  directly  crofs  to  the  inward  Temper 
of  the  Sinner's  Heart,  he  will  naturally  be  difpofed  to  hate, 
fhut  his  Eyes  againil,flee  from  and  refill  with  all  hisMight  \ 
and  that  whether  it  comes  from  the  external  Teachings  of 
the  Word,  or  internal  Teachings  of  the  Spirit.  Yea,  fo 
long  as  there  is  the  ieaft  remainder  of  Corruption  left  in 
Believers  themfelves,  it  will  hate  to  die,  and  ftruggle  with 
all  it's  Might  to  keep  it's  Ground,  yea,  and  to  recover  it's 
former  Dominion.  Rom.  7.  23.  1  fee  another  Law  in  my 
Members,  warring  againft  the  Law  in  my  Mind^  and  bringing 
me  into  Captivity  to  the  Law  of  Sin,  which  is  in  my  Members* 
Yea,it  implies  a  Contradiction,  to  fuppofe,  Corruption  can 
in  any  Cafe  be  willing  to  die  :  for  every  Temper  in  our 
Hearts  naturally  loves  to  be  gratified  and  pleafed,  and  it  is 
a  Contradiction,  to  fuppofe,  it  can  at  the  fame  Time  be 
willing  to  be  crofs'd  and  killed.  Gal.  5.  17. 

OBJ.  But  do  not  awakened  Sinners  earneftly  defire  to  repent 
of  and  be  humbled  for  their  Sins,  and  to  mortify  their  Cor 
ruptions,  and  to  give  up  themfelves  to  God,  to  love  and  live  to 
him  ;  and  do  they  not  earneftly  'pray  for  the  divine  Spirit  to 
affift  them  fo  to  do  ?  How  can  they  then  be  difpofed  at  the  fame 
Time  to  make  fuch  mighty  Refiftance  ? 

ANSW.  (i.)  Awakened  Sinners  fee  themfelves  in  great 
Danger,  and  they  therefore  earneltly  defire  and  feek  after 
Self-Prefervation,  and  this  is  plainly  owing  to  Nature,  and 
not  to  any  Grace  or  Goodnefs  in  their  Hearts*  Pfal,  66.  3* 


1 88          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

Thro11  the  Greatnefs  of  thy  Power  thine  Enemies  fubmit  them- 
fehes  unto  thce.  i.  c.  they  feign  a  Submiffion,  but  they  arc 
thine  Enemies.     (2.)  That  which  moves  them  to  defire  to 
repent,  be  humbled,  &c.  is,  they  hope  by  thefe  Means  to 
make  Amends  for  their  paft  Sins,  and   ingratiate  them- 
felves  into  the  Favour  of  God.  Rom.  10.  3.  i.  e.   merely 
from  Self-love,  with  pure  Hypocrify,   they  would  impofe 
upon  God.    For  (3.)  After  all  their  Pretences,  Defires  and 
Prayers,  their  Nature  and  Temper  is  juft  what  it  ufed  to 
be  :  and  were  they  but  delivered  from  the  Fears  .of  Hell, 
and  left  at  full  Liberty  to  follow  their  own  Inclinations, 
they  would  live  as  vicioufly  as  ever  they  did.  (4.)  Yet  they 
pretend  to  love  God  and  would  fain  have  him  believe  them 
fincere,  and  are  ready  to  expect  Acceptance  for  what  they 
do,  and  to  think  it  hard  if  God  mould  not   accept  them. 
Now  if  it  was  the  Work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  build  up 
fuch  a  Sinner  in  this  hypocritical,  Self-righteous  way,  he 
might  be  difpofed,  while  under  his  Fears  and  Terrors,  to 
concur  and  fall  in  with  the  Spirit's  Influence  :    and  all 
merely  from  Self-love  and  for  Self-Ends.     But  if  the  Spi 
rit  of  God  goes  about  to  bring  home  the  Law  in  its  Strict- 
nefs,  and  fhew  fuch  a  Sinner  the  very  Truth,  that  he  does 
not  love  God  nor  defire  to,  that  his  Defires   and  Prayers 
and  Tears  are  all  hypocritical,  that  he  is  ftill  dead  in  Sin 
and  an  Enemy  to  God,  that  he  deferves  to  be  damned  as 
much  as  ever  he  did  ;  that  God  is  at  Liberty,  all  hisDuties 
notwithftanding,  to  reject  him  •,  that  he  lies  abfolutely  at 
God's  Mercy  :  Now  he  will  hate  the  Light,  Ihut  his  Eyes 
againft  it,  quarrel  at  it,   and  refift  it  with,  all  his  Might. 
It  is  exceeding  hard  for  the  poor  Sinner,  when  he"  begins  to 
be  awakened,  to  part  with  a  vain  Life,  and  vain*  Compa 
nions,  his  carnal  Eafe  and  Comfort,  and  all  viciousCourfes, 
to  make  Reftitution  to  thofe  he  has  wronged  in  Name  or 
Eftate,  and  give  himfelf  to  Reading,  Meditation  &Prayer, 
and  to  a  ferious  mortifying  Way  of  living  :    he  can't  bear 
the  Thoughts,  would  fain  contrive  an  eafier  Way,  or  elfe 
delay  for  the  prefent  fo  mournful  and  tedious  a  Work.  But 
when,  by  the  dreadful  Fears  of  Hell  and  eternal  Damna 
tion,  he  has  been  brought,  after  much  Reluctance  and 
Unwillingncfs,  to  a  forced  Confent  to  all  this,  hoping 

thereby 


and  diftmguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.    189 

thereby  to  appeafe  the  divine  Wrath  and  procure  the  divine 
Favour  :  Now  to  have  all  his  felt- righteous  Hopes  dafh'd 
and  confounded,  by  a  Sight  of  the  Badnefs  of  his  Heart, 
by  feeing  he  has  no  Love  to  God,  no  Sorrow  for  Sin,  no 
Inclination  to  be  holy,  but  averfe  to  God  and  all  that  is 
Good,  and  that  all  his  forced  Goodnefs  has  no  Virtue 
in  it,  that  he  is  yet  under  the  whole  Guilt  of  all  his  Sin, 
under  Condemnation  of  the  Law  and  the  Wrath  of 
God,  dead  in  Sin,  an  Enemy  to  God,  abfolutely  at 
God's  Mercy  :  This,  this,  I  fay,  is  dreadful  indeed,  and 
far  more  crofs  to  the  very  Grain  of  the  Sinner's  Heart  than 
all  he  ever  met  with  before.  Here  therefore  there  will  be 
the  greatefl  Struggle  and  ftrongeft  Rcfiftance,  before  ever 
the  Sinner  can,  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  be  brought  clearly  to 
fee  and  give  into  thefe  Things.  For  all  thefe  Things  are 
directly  crofs  to  the  Sinner's  Difpofition  to  love  him- 
felf  fupremely  and  live  to  himfelf  ultimately,  directly 
crofs  to  a  Spirit  of  Self-fupremacy  and  Independency. 
The  Sinner  can't  bear  that  God  fhould  be  fo  great  and  fo 
fovereign,  and  himfelf  fo  vile,  fo  little,  fo  abfolutely  at 
Mercy.  'Tis  a  killing  Thing.  When  the  Commandment 
came,  Sin  revived,  and  I  died.  So  that  it  is  plain,  that 
notwithstanding  all  the  awakened  Sinner's  felfim.  Defires 
and  Prayers,  yet  in  the  habitual  Temper  of  his  Heart, 
he  ftands  difpofed  to  refift  the  Influences  of  the  divine  Spi 
rit,  with  all  his  Might.  He  is  fo  far  from  being  willing 
to  repent  of  his  Sins,  that  he  is  utterly  unwilling  to  fee  and 
own  his  Sinfulnefs  •,  fo  far  from  defiring  to  be  humbled, 
that  he  is  by  no  Means  willing  to  fee  the  Caufe  &  Reafon 
he  has  to  be  humbled  ;  fo  far  from  defiring  to  be  made 
fpiritually  alive,  that  he  won't  fo  much  as  own  that  he  is 
fpiritually  dead  ;  fo  far  from  defiring  the  gracious  Influen 
ces  of  the  holy  Spirit  to  reconcile  him  to  God,  that  he  won't 
own  that  he  is  an  Enemy  to  God,  but  would  fain  think, 
that  he  heartily  defires  to  love  God,  and  ftands  ready  to 
hate  and  refift  that  Light,  which  would  difcover  the  En 
mity  of  his  Heart.  He  that  doth  Evil,  hateth  the  Light  and 
flees  from  it,  left  his  evil  Deeds  be  difcovered ;  and  for  the  fame 
Reafon,  he  that  hath  an  evil  Heart,  hates  the  Light  and 
refifts  it,  left  the  Badnefs  of  his  Heart  be  difcovered. 

.  "From 


190         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

7.  From  all  that  has  been  faid  we  may  learn,  that  thofe 
Influences  of  the  Spirit  which  will  be  fufficient,  effectually 
to  awaken,  convince  and  humble  the  Sinner,  and  recover 
him  to  God,  muft  be  irrejijiible  zn&fuper  natural.     That  the 
internal  Influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  are  necefiary  to  reco 
ver  Sinners  to  God,  is  fo  plainly  held  forth  every  where  in 
the  Bible,  that  the  Armenians  themfelves  do  not  deny  it. 
But  how  much,  and  what  Kind  of  Influences  are  needful,  is 
very  much  difputed.     Now^/a  much^   and  fuck  Scrt  of  In 
fluences  are  beyond  difpute,   needful^  as  will  be  fuffident 
effeftua  "ly  to  anjwer  the  End^  and  without  which  no  Sinner 
will  ever  be  converted.     This  is  felf-evident.     If  Sinners 
were  fo  good  natur'd,  as  to  fee  and  feel  and  own  their  Sin- 
fulnefs,  and  the  Juftice  of  the  Sentence  whereby  they  ftand 
condemned,  and  die  to  themfelves,  the  World  and  Sin,  and 
return  home  to  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,   to  love  him,  live 
to  him,  and  delight  in  him  for  ever,  of  their  own  Accord, 
jnerely  upon  reading  the  Bible  and  hearing  the  Law  and 
the  Gofpel  preached,  then  there  would  be  no  Need  of  any 
inward  Influences  of  the  Spirit  at  all.     Or  if  they  were  fo 
good  natured,  as  to  be  eafily  perfwaded  to  do  fo,  then  fome 
Imall   Degree  of    the   inward    Influences   of  the  Spirit 
would  do.     But  if,  in  thefrft  Place,  they  are  altogether 
averfe  to  fee  and  feel  and  own  their  Sin  and  Guilt,  and  the 
Juftice  of  their  Condemnation  according  to  Law,  and  en 
tirely  difpofed  to  hate  and  refift  the  Light, as  hath  but  juft 
now  been  proved,  then  they  muft  be  brought  to  it  by  an 
all-conquering  irrefiftible  Grace,  or  not  at  all.     And  if,in  the 
fecond  Place^  the  cleared  Sight  and  greateft  Senfe  a  natural 
Man  can  have  of  what  God  is,  inftead  of  making  him  ap 
pear  infinitely  glorious  and  amiable,  in  the  Eyes  of  one 
whofe  Heart  is  dead  in  Sin,  and  diametrically  oppofite  to 
the  divine  Nature,  will  rather  irritate  Corruption,  and 
make  the  native  Enmity  of  the  Heart  ferment  and  rage, 
and  become  but  the  more  apparent  and  fenfible,as  has  been 
heretofore  proved,  then  there  muft  be  ^  fufer natural^  fpiri- 
tual  and  divine  Change  wrought  in  the  Heart,  by  the  im 
mediate  Influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  it  lhall 
become  natural  to  look  upon  God  as  infinitely  glorious  and 
amiable  in  being  what  he  is,  and  fo  a  Foundation  hereby 

laid, 


and  diflmguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  191 

laid,for  us  to  love  him  with  all' our  Hearts,aud  fo  genuine 
ly  to  repent,  return  and  give  up  our  felves  to  him,  to  live 
to  him,  and  delight  in  him  for  ever  •,  I  fay,  if  thefe  Things 
be  fo,  there  muft  be  fach  a  Change  wrought  by  the  Spirit 
of  God,  or  not  one  Sinner  in  the  World  will  ever  be  con 
verted  to  God.  And  therefore,  that  there  is  an  abfolutc 
Necefiity  of  fuch  Influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  order 
to  a  faving  Converfion,  is  evident  to  a  Demonftration,  from 
the  very  Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things.  God  himfelf  mult 
take  away  the  Heart  of  Stone  and  give  an  Heart  of  Flefti,  and 
write  bis  Law  on  our  Hearts ,  raife  us  from  the  Dead,  create 
us  a-new,  open  our  Eyes,  &c.  &c.  according  to  the  Lan 
guage  of  Scripture.  And  thefe  Things  God  does  do,  for 
all  that  are  renewed,  and  therefore  they  are  faid,  to  be  born 
of  God,  to  be  born  of  the  Spirit ,  to  be  fpiritual,to  be  made  Par 
takers  of  the  divine  Nature,  &c.  And  God  is  faid  to  give 
Faith)  Repentance,  and  every  divine  Grace.  Ezek.  36.  26. 
Heb.S.io.  Eph.  2.1 — 10.  i  Cor.  4.  6.  Joh.i.  I3.&3.6. 
Rom.  8.  6,  9.  2  Pet.  i.  4.  Aft.  5.  31.  Jam.  i.  17. 

8.  From  what  has  been  faid  we  may  learn  to  under/land 
the  Dottrine  of  divine  Sovereignty  in  theBeftowment  of  fpecial 
Grace  for  the  Regeneration  and  Converjion  of  Sinners.  The 
Scripture  reprefents  God  as  choofmgfome  before  the  Founda 
tion  of  the  World)  to  be  holy  and  to  be  his  Children.  Eph.  i. 
4,  5.  And  teaches  us  that  whom  he  did  predejlinate,  them  he 
alfo  calls  i  and  whom  he  calls  them  he  alfo  juftifas,  and  whom 
hejuftifies  them  he  alfo  glorifies.  Rom.  8.  30.  And  plainly 
intimates  that  fuch  as  are  given  to  Chrift  and  ordained  to 
eternal  Life,  believe,  and  none  other.  Joh.  6.  37,  39.  Aft.  13. 
48.  Rom.  n.  7.  And  the  Scriptures  teach  us  that  God 
has  Mercy  en  whom  he  will  have  Mercy ,  and  CompaJJion  on 
whom  he  will  have  Compaffion.  Rom:  9.  18.  And  that/0r 
the  moft  Part)  he  pafles  by  the  rich  and  great  and  honour  able* 
and  choofes  the  meaneft  and  moft  ignoble^  that  -no  Flejh  might 
glory  in  his  Prefence.  i  Cor.  i.  26 — 29.  He  hides  the  Gofpel 
from  the  wife  and  prudent,  and  reveals  it  toEabes,  and  that  be- 
caufe  it  pleafes  him  fo  to  do,  and  Chrift  rejoyces  in  his  fovereign 
Pleafure  herein,  as  difplaying  his  infinite  Wifdom.  Mat. 
n.  25,  26. 

And 


IO2          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.'L 

/:  nd  now  what  has  been  faid  may  {hew  us  the  infinite 
Re  lunablenefs  of  fucli  a  Procedure,  For3God,whoie  Eyes 
run  to  :nd  fro  thro'  all  the  Earth,  feeing  all  Things  as  being 
what  they  are,  plainly  beholds  and  views  the  State  and 
\Temper  of  this  apoftate  World  ;  and  let  Men  pretend 
what  they  will,  he  knows  their  Hearts,  he  knows  they 
do;  r  :.ove  him  nor  care  for  him,  he  fees  all  their  Hypocri- 
fy  and  their  inward  Contrariety  to  him  arid  his  Lav/,  and 
how  much  they  are  fettled  in  their  Temper  -,  fo  far  from 
Repentance,  that  they  will  not  fo  much  as  fee  their  Sin, 
but  Hand  to  jiiftify  themfelves,  infenlible  of  their  Guilt  and 
infenfible  of  iheir  Defert,  hating  the  Light  ;  he  fees  they 
hate  to  fee  their  Sin  and  Guilt  and  Defert,  and  to  be  hum 
bled  and  lie  down  at  his  Foot,  and  be  abfoluteiy  beholden 
to  him  ;  and  that  they  would  make  the  utmoil  Refinance 
if  he  fhould  take  them  in  Hand,  and  go  about  thoroughly 
to  convince  them  by  his  Spirit  howThings  really  be  ;  thus 
he  views  his  apoftate,rebellious  Creatures,&  fees  how  finful, 
how  dead  in  Sin,  how  contrary  to  all  Good,  and  how  irre 
claimable  they  be,  and  upon  the  whole  how  much  they 

deferve  eternal  Damnation. In  the  Days  of  Eternity  he 

faw  juft  how  Things  would  be  before  Hand,  and  now  in 
Time  he  fees  juft  how  Things  actually  be.  In  the  Days 
of  Eternity  therefore  he  faw  that  there  would  not  be  any 
Thing  in  them  to  move  him  to  have  Mercy  on  any,  and 
now  in  Time  he  finds  it  to  be  the  Cafe.  And  yet  he  was 
pleafed  then  of  his  meer  fovereign  Pleafure  to  determine 
not  to  caft  off  all,  but  to  fave  fonie  •,  fo  new  he  is  pleafed 
to  put  his  fovereign  Pleafure  in  Execution  ;  and  he  has 
Mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  Mercy,  and  Companion  on 
whom  he  will  have  Compaffion,  and  many  Times  takes  the 
meaneft  and  vileft,  that  theSovereignty  of  his  Grace  might 
be  the  more  illuftrious,  and  the  Pride  of  all  Flefh  might 
be  brought  low,and  theLord  alone  be  exalted.  And  furely 
fuch  a  Conduct  infinitely  well  becomes  the  fupreme  Gover- 
nour  of  the  whole  World. 

Indeed,  if  any  of  Adam's  Race  were  fo  well  difpofed,  as, 
of  their  own  Accord,  merely  upon  reading  the  Bible,  hear 
ing  the  Gofpel  preached,  and  enjoying  the  common  Means 
of  Grace,  to  believe  and  repent  and  to  return  home  to  God 

thro* 


. 

and  diftinguifhed from  all  Counterfeits.   193 

thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  they  might  be  accepted,  pardoned  and 
feved,  nor  would  there  be  any  Room  for  or  Need  of  Sove 
reign  Grace.     But  God  who  knows  the  Hearts  of  all,  fees 
that  ail  the  Pretences  of  Sinners  that  Way   are  but  mere 
Hypocrify,  and  that  at  Heart  they  are  his  Enemies,  and 
utterly  averfe  to  a  Return. —  Or  if  there  was  any  Virtue  to 
be  found  among  any  of  the  fallen  Race  of  Adam^  antece 
dent  to  God's  Grace,  this  might  move  him  to  have  Mercy 
I  upon  one  rather  than  another.     But  he  fees  that  all  are  in- 
tirely  deftitute  of  Love  to  him,  and  intirely   at  Enmity 
j  againft  him,  wholly  void  of  real  Goodnefs,   and  dead  in 
Sin,  and  that  the  only  Reafon  why  fome  are  not  fb  out 
wardly  extravagant  and  vicious  as  others,  is,  becaufe  he  has 
by  one  Means  and  another  retrained  them, and  not  becaufe 
they  are  really  better. —  And  while  God  thus  beholds  all 
alike  dead  in  Sin,  and  in  the  Temper  of  their  Hearts  by 
i  Nature  equally  averfe  to  a  Return  to  him,   and  views  all 
as  guilty  and  He  11 -deferring,  there  is  nothing,  there  can 
i  be  nothing,  to  move  him  to  determine  to  fliew  Mercy  to 
I  one  rather  than  another,  but  his  own  good  Pleafure.    And 
j  therefore  he  has  Mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  Mercy  •,  he 
|  awakens,  convinces,  humbles,  converts  whom  he  pleafes, 
|  and  leaves  the  reft  to  follow  their  own  Inclinations,  and  take 
|  their  ownCourfe,  enduring  with  much  Long-fuffermg  the 
\  Veffeh  of  Wrath. 

Let  it  be  here  noted,  that  many  -of  thofc  warm  Difputes 

I  about  the  Doctrine  of  divine  Sovereignty,  which  have  filled 

I  the  Chhftian  World,  turn  very  much  upon  this  Point.    All 

\  are  agreed,  that  whofoever  believes,  repents  and  returns  to 

e  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  {hall  be  faved.     All  will,therefore, 

t  yield  that  if  Mankind  in  general  were  fo  good  natured,  fo 

well  difpofed,  as  to  return  to  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  of  their 

f  own  Accord,  upon  the  Calls  and  Invitations  of  the  Gofpel, 

and  only  by  the  Influence  and  Help  of  thofe  Advantages 

*  which  are  common,  then  all  might  be  faved,   nor  would 

Q  there  be  any  Need  of,  or  Room  for,  this  fovereign,  diftin- 

guifhing  Grace.     But  if  Mankind  have  none  of  this  good 

:  Nature,but  are  every  Way  diametrically  oppofite  thereto  ; 

if  all  the  Calls  of  the  Gofpel,  and  common   Means  and 

Methods  of  Grace,  will  have  no  effectual  Influence  upon 

O  them 


194         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

them  *,  if  nothing  but  an  almighty,  all -conquer  ing  Grace 
can  flop  them  in  their  Courfe  of  Rebellion,  fubdue  their 
Lufts,  and  recover  them  to  God ;  if  this  be  the  Cafe  of  all 
Mankind,  then  it  is  plain,  that  nothing  but  the  meer 
MerCy  of  God,  can  interpofe  and  prevent  a  uniyerfalRuin. 
And  it  is  plain  that  the  fovereign  Governour  of  the  whole 
World  is,  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  at  moil  perfect  Liberty 
to  fhew  this  Mercy,  to  none,  or  to  fome  few,  or  to  all,  juft 
as  it  feems  good  in  his  Sight.  And  fmce  from  Eternity 
he  forefaw  juft  how  Things  would  be*  from  Eternity  he 
might  determine  what  to  do.  So  that  the  great  Queftion 
is,  Whether  Mankind  are  naturally  fo  entirely  averfe  to  a 
true  Converfion  ?  For  if  they  be3  the  Reafonablenefs  of 
the  divine  Sovereignty  muft  be  admitted  in  this  Cafe  :  and 

if  they  be  not,  none  will  any  longer  plead  for  it. And 

what  the  natural  Oppofition  of  Mankind  to  Converfion  is, 
may  be  eafily  feen,    if  we  confider  what  the  true  Nature  of 

Converfion  is,  and  compare  their  Temper  herewith. 

And  what  the  true  Nature  of  Converfion  is,  may  be  eafily 
known  by  confidering  the  true  Nature  of  the  moral  Law. — 
In  a  Word,  if  the  Law  does  only  require  what  the  Armi- 
mans  and  Pelagians  fuppofe,  and  Religion  be  juft  fuch  a 
Thing, 'tis  a  plain  Cafe,  that  Mankind  are  not  fobad,  nor 
do  they  need  fuch  an  irrefiftibleGrace.  But  if  the  Law  re 
quires  quite  another  Sort  of  Holinefs,  and  fo  true  Religion 
be  quire  anotherSort  of  Thing,even  fuch  as  I  have  deicribed, 
which  lies  fo  diametrically  oppofite  to  the  natural  Bent  and 
JBiafs  of  our  whole  Souls,  'tis  plain,  'tis  a  clear  Cafe,  that 
Grace  muft  be  irrefiftible,  and  can  proceed  from  nothing 
but  meer  free  Mercy,  nor  refult  from  any  Thing  but  the  fo 
vereign  Pleafure  of  the  moft  High.  So  that  in  fhort,  the 
whole  Difpute  is  refolved  into  this  Queftion,  What  does 
the  Law  of  God  require,  and  wherein  does  a  genuine  Con 
formity  thereto  confift  ?  But  of  this  more  afterwards. 

And  from  what  has  been  faid  we  may  eafily  gather  a 
plain  and  fhort  Anf -ver  to  ail  the  mighty  Cry  about  Pro* 
mifes^  Promises  to  the  Unconverted^  ij  they  will  do  as  well  as 
they  can.  For  'tis  plain,  Heaven's  Gates  ftand  v/ide  open 
to  all  that  believe  and  repent  and  return  to  God  thro' JefojS 
Cbrift,  job.  3,  16*  And  'tis  plain,  the  Wrath  of  God  is 

revealed 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   195 

revealed  againft  all  that  do  not  fo.  Job.  3.  36.  And  'tis 
plain,  that  there  is  nothing  but  the  want  of  a  good  Tem 
per,  together  with  the  obitinate  Perverfenefs  of  Sinners, 
that  hinders  theirReturn  toGod  j.  and  that  therefore  ail  their 
Pretences  of  being  willing  to  do  as  well  they  can,  are  mere 
Hypocrify.  They  are  fo  unwilling  to  return  to  God,  o? 
take  one  Step  that  Way,  that  they  can  be  brought  back  by 
nothing  fhort  of  an  almighty  Power  •,  and  are  fo  far,there- 
fore,  from  being  entitled  to  the  Promifes  of  the  Gofpel* 
that  they  are  actually,  and  that  defervedly  too,  under 
Condemnation  by  the  Gofpel, .(Job.  3,  i8J  and  under  all 
the  Curies  of  the  Law,  Gal.  3.  10.  "  Take  heed  there- 
"  fore,  O  Sinner,  thou  Enemy  of  God,  when  you  pretend 
<c  that  you  delire  to  repent  and  do  as  well  as  you  can,  that 
"  you  be  not  found  quieting  your  felf  in  a  State  of  E- 
"  ftrangement  from  God,  hiding  your  natural  Averfion 
"  to  God  &:  Holinels  under  fair  Pretences.  And  know  it 
41  if  you  do,  tho'  you  may  deceive  your  felf  by  the  Means, 
u  yet  it  will  appear  another  Day  before  all  Worlds,  and  it 
u  will  be  known  that  you  were  an  Enemy  to  God,  and 
u  would  not  be  reconciled,  and  did  but  flatter  him  with 
*c  your  Lips,  and  lie  uno  him  with  your  Tongue,  in  all 
"  your  feemingly  devdut  Pretences.  You  think  your 
"  felf  good  enough  to  have  an  Intereft  in  the  Promifes,, 
"  but  infinite  Goodnefs  judges  you  deferve  to  be  numbred 
"  among  the  Children  of  W^rath  and  Heirs  of  Hell.  Job., 
44  3.  1 8,  36.  Your  high  Conceit  of  your  own  Goodnefs  is 
<4  the  Foundation  of  all  your  Confidence,  and  both  join  to 
**  keep  you  fecure  in  Sin  and  under  Guilt,  and  infenfible  of 
*•  your  need  of  Chrift  &  fovereign  Grace.  £#£.5.31.  Rom* 
10.3."  Did  Sinners  but  fee  the  Badnefs  of  their  Hearts,  they 
would  be  foon  convinced  that  thePromifes  are  not  theirs,but: 
theThreatnings ;  and  would  feel  &  know  that  they  have  no 
Claims  to  make,  but  lie  abfolutely  at  Mercy.  Luk.  18.13. 

9.  And  if  it  is  nothing  but  the  mere  Grace  &  fovereign 
good  Pleafure  of  God,  which  moves  him  to  ftop  Sinners 
in  their  Career  to  Hell,  and  by  his  irrefiftible  and  all- 
Conquering  Grace,  and  by  the  fupernatural  Influences  of 
his  holy  Spirit,  fubdue  their  Stubbornnefs,  take  down  the 
Power  of  Sia  in  their  Hearts,  and  recover  diem  to  himfelf : 

O  2  And 


196          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.'L 

And  if  he  does  this  for  them  when  they  are  at  Enmity  a- 
gainil  him,  and  are  his  open  Enemies  by  wicked  Works, 
and  fo  are  altogether  deferving  his  Wrath  and  Vengeance  •, 
I  fay,  if  this  be  the  Cafe,  there  is  all  Reafon  to  think,  that 
be,  who  thus  begins,  will  carry  on  the  Work  to  Perfection.  — 
He  knew  how  bad  the  Sinner  was  when  he  firft  took  him 
in  Hand,  how  he  hated  to  be  converted,  and  how  he  would 
refift,  and  that  his  own  almighty  Arm  muft  bring  Salva 
tion  j  and  yet  this  did  not  difcourage  his  firft  Undertaking. 
And  he  knew  how  the  Sinner  would  prove  after  Conver- 
fion,  juft  how  barren  and  unfruitful,  juft  how  perverfe  and 
rebellious,  and  juft  how  apt  to  forget  God  and  turn  away 
from  him,  and  that  his  own  almighty  Grace  muft  always 
be  working  in  him  to  will  and  to  do.  Phil.  2.  13.  —  He 
knew  all  the  difcouraging  Circumftances  before-hand,  and 
his  infinite  Goodnefs  furmounted  them  all,  and  he  had 
Mercy  on  the  poor  Sinner  becaufe  he  would  have  Mercy 
on  him,  of  his  meer  good  Pleafure,  from  his  boundlefs 
Grace,  aiming  at  the  Glory  of  his  own  great  Name.  Eph. 
1.6. — And  now  this  being  the  Cafe,  we  have  all  Reafon 
to  think,  that  God  will  never  alter  his  Hand,  or  leave  un- 
finifhed  the  Work  which  he  has  begun.  For  there  always 
will  be  the  fame  Motive  from  which  he  undertook  the 
Work,  to  excite  him  to  carry  it  on,  even  the  infinite  Good 
nefs  of  his  Nature  ;  and  he  will  be  always  under  the  fame 
Advantages,  to  anfwer  theEnd  Ke  at  firft  propofed, namely, 
the  Advancement  of  theGlory  of  hisGrace.  And  he  will  ne 
ver  meet  with  any  unforefeenDifficulties  orDifcouragements 
in  his  Way.  We  may  therefore  be  pretty  certain,  if  really 
God  begins  this  Work,  under  fuch  Views  and  fuch  Cir-*  1 
cumftances,  that  it  is  with  Defign  to  carry  it  on.  As  Sa 
muel  reafons  in  a  parallel  Cafe,  i  Sam.  12.  22.  For  the 
Lord  will  not  for  fake  his  People  for  his  great  Name9  s  fake  : 
lecaufe  it  hath  pleafed  the  Lord  to  make  you  his  People.  So 
that  if  the  Dodtrine  of  the  Saints  Per  fever  ance  were  notex- 
prefly  taught  in  Scripture,  yet  on  this  Ground  we  might 
argue  very  ftrongly  for  it. —  But  that  this  is  a  Do&rine 
plainly  revealed  in  the  Gofpel  we  may  learn,  from  Mat. 
13.23.  Job.  4.  14.  £5?  10.  4,  5,  27,  28.  i  Job..3.'6,$. 
Heb.  8,  10,  tfc.&c.— When  St. 'Paul kept  under  his  Body 

and 


and  diftmguijhed from  all  Counterfeits  197 

and  brought  it  intoSubje&ioiiiLEST  he  Jhould  be  aCaft-away, 
(i  Cor.  9.  27.)  He  did  no  otherwife  than  he  was  wont  to 
do  in  temporal  Concerns,  in  Cafes  wherein  he  was  before 
hand  certain  of  the  Event.  So  he  fent  Word  to  the  chief 
Captain^  of  the  Jews  lying  in  wait  to  kill  him,  left  he  Jhould 
be  murdered  by  them  •,  whenas  it  was  revealed  to  him  from 
God,  but  the  very  Night  before,  that  he  fhould  live  to  fee 
Rome.  Aft.  23.1 2 — :2 1 .  So  he  would  not  allow  the  Sailors 
to  leave  the  Ship  in  the  midft  of  the  Storm,  lift  they  Jhould 
fome  of  them  be  drowned  for  want  of  their  Help  •,  whenas, 
but  a  little  before  it  was  revealed  to  him  from  God  that  not 
one  of  them  Ihould  be  drowned.'  Aft.  27.  23 — 31.  And 
indeed,  it  was  his  Duty  to  do  as  he  did,  as  much  as  if  he. 
had  been  at  the  greateft  Uncertainties  about  the  Event. 
So  altho'  Paul  knew  that  never  any  Wing  Jhould  feparate 
him  from  theLove  0/G0^,(Rom.  8.  3  8.) Yet  heufed  all  pofli- 
ble  Endeavours  to  mortify  his  Corruptions,  left  be  Jhould 
be  a  Caft-away.  And  indeed,  it  was  his  Duty  to  do  fo,  as 
much  as  if  he  had  been  at  the  greateft  Uncertainties  about 
the  Event.  And  what  was  his  Duty,  was  alfo  the  Duty  of 
all  good  Men  -,  and  therefore  St.  Paul  in  his  Eptjtles  is  fre 
quently  exhorting  all,  to  do  as  he  did  :  and  that  in  a  per 
fect  Confiftency  with  the  Doctrine  of  the  Saints  Pcrfeve- 
rancC)  which  he  alfo  teaches.  And  as  Paul's  being  certain 
of  the  Event)  did  not  tend  to  make  him  carelefs  in  the 
Ufe  of  proper  Means  to  fave  his  natural  Life,  but  rather 
tended  to  encourage  and  animate  him,  as  knowing  that  he 
fhould  finally  fucoeed  •,  fo  his  being  certain  of  the  Evenf, 
did  not  tend  to  make  him  carelefs,  but  to  animate  him, 
with  refpect  to  his  fpiritual  and  eternal  Life.  And  as  it 
was  with  him,  fo  it  is  with  all  good  Men.  Ram.  6.  2.  For 
this  is  always  the  Cafe,^that  Certainty  of  Succefs,  animates 
Men  i  if  the  Thing  they  are  about,  be  what  they 
love  and  what  their  Hearts  are  engaged  in-,  but  to 
die  to  thernfelves,  the  World  and  Sin,  and  love  God> 
and  live  to  him,  and  grow  up  into  perfect  Hoiinefs,  is  what 
all  Believers  love  and  have  their  Hearts  engaged  after  ;  an 
abfolute  Certainty,  therefore,  of  Perfeverance  has,  in  the 
Nature  of  Things,  the  greateft  Tendency  to  animate  them 
*o  the  jnoft  fprightly  ^ftivity.  There  are  none  but  grace 

O  iei 


198          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.-L 

lefs  Hypocrites,that  takeEncouragement,from  theDo&rines 
of  free  Grace,  to  Carelefnefs  and  Sin.  Rom.  6.  i,  2. 

10.  If  this  be  the  Nature  of  a  faving  Converfion,  if  this 
be  the  Nature  of  true  Holinefs,  if  this  be  true  Religion, 
fo  contrary  to  Fiefh  and  Blood,  and  all  the  habitual  Propen- 
fities  of  Nature,  then  fo  long  as  there  is  ibe  haft  Corruption 
left  in  the  Heart,  there  w/7/,  of  Neceffity^  be  a  continual  Con- 
flift.  Grace  will  continually  feek  the  Ruin  of  Sin,  thro' 
it's  Contrariety  to  it  and  Hatred  of  it «,  and  Sin  will  ftrivc 
to  maintain  it's  Ground,  yea  and  to  regain  it's  former  Do 
minion.  The  gracious  Nature  delights  in  the  Law  of  God, 
and  afpires  after  fmlefs  Perfection  •,  the  finful  Nature  hates 
the  Law  of  God,  and  ftrives  to  lead  the  Man  captive  into 
Sin.  The  gracious  Nature  is  a  Difpofition  to  love  God 
fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimately,  and  delight  in  him  fu- 
perlatively  -y  and  this  finful  Nature  is  a  Difpofition  to  lovcv 
Self  fupremely,  live  to  Self  ultimately,  and  delight  in  -that 
which  is  not  God,  wholly  :  and  becaufe  thefe  two  are  con 
trary  the  one  to  the  other ',  therefore  th'  Fie  fa  will  luft  agaivft 
the  Spirit^  and  the  Spirit  againft  the  Flejh.  Gal.  5.  17.  The 
gracious  Nature  joins  in  on  God's  Side  againft  all  Sin  •,  and 
while  God  works  in  the  Man  to  will  and  to  do^  he  works  cut 
his  own  Salvation  with  Fear  and  Trembling^  with  Caution 
and  Circumfpedion,  with  Watchfulnefs  and  holy  Concern  -% 
labouring  to  die  to  himlelf,  the  World  and  Sin,  and  be 
wholly  the  Lord's.  Phil.  2.  12,  13.  While  God  is,  by  his 
Spirit,  realifmg  to  his  Heart  the  Being  and  Perfections  of 
God,  the  Exiftence  and  Importance  of  divine  and  eternal 
Things,  and  is  fpreading  divine  Light  over  his  Soul,  and 
is  banifhing  felfilh  and  worldly  Views,  and  is  drawing  his 
Soul  to  holy  and  divine  Contemplations  ;  he  feels  the  di 
vine  Influence,  he  bleiTes  the  Lord,  he  fummons  all  within 
him  to  Engagednefs,  he  pants  after  God.  "  O  that  I 
4C  might  know  him,  that  I  might  fee  him  in  his  infinite 
"  Glory !  (Pfal.  63.  i,  2.)  O  Gody  thou  art  my  God*  early 
*c  will  I  feek  thee :  my  Soul  thirfteth  for  theey  myFlefolongeth 
"  for  thee^  in  a  dry  and  thirdly  Land^  where  no  Heater  is  :  ¥0 
i£  fee  thy  Power  and  thy  Glory ^fo  as  I  have  fccn  thee  in  the 
^  Siin&uary.  ($.  8.)  My  Soul  followcth  hard  after  thee. 
•  -TfeL  73.  2P,  <}  Whom  tew  I  in  Heaven -but  thee?  And 

"  there 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  199 

"  there  is  none  upon  Earth  I  defire  befides  thee.  O  that  I 
"  could,  with  my  whole  Heart,  love  thee  for  ever,  live  to 
«•  thee  for  ever,  live  upon  thee  for  ever,  and  ne  er,  never, 
"  depart  from  thee  !  O  that  I  could  think  for  thee,  and 
"  fpeak  for  thee,  and  act  for  thee  j  at  Home  and  Abroad* 
"  by  Day  and  by  Night,  always  live  to  thee  and  upon 
"  thee  !  Here,  Lord,  I  give  my  felf  to  thee  to  be  for  ever 
"  thine,  to  love  thee  and  to  fear  thee,  and  to  walk  in  all 
"  thy  Ways  and  to  keep  all  thy  Commands  -9  and  O  that 

"  my  Heart  might  never  depart  from  thee  ! But  alas, 

"  alas,  to  will  is  frefent  with  me^  to  have  a  Difpofition  to 
<*  all  this,  and  long  for  all  this,  and  feek  and  ftrive  for  all 
"  this,  is  eafy  and  natural,  fcr  I  delight  in  the  Law  of  God 
"  after  the  inward  Man  •,  but  how  to  perform  I  find  not  \ 
"  how  to  get  my  whole  Heart,  fo  to  fall  in,  as  that  there 
"  (hall  not  be  the  lead  contrary  Temper,  this  is  clean  be- 
"  yond  me,  for  I  am  Jlill  carnal,  fold  under  Sin^have  anothet 
"  Law  in  my  Member s^  have  ftill  the  Remains  (oftheFleJh) 
"  of  my  native  Contrariety  to  God  and  Difgofition  to  dif- 
"  reliili  divine  Things  •,  and  fo  am  apt  to  forget  God,  to 
"  warp  off  from  him,  and  to  have  felfim  and  worldly  Views 
"  and  Defigns  fecretiy  creep  into  my  Mind  and  fteal  away 
"  my  Heart  from  God,  and  fo  am  daily  led  into  Captivity. 
*6  O  that  Sin  was  entirely  dead,  that  a  Difpofition  to  dif- 
"  relifh  God,  to  forget  him,  to  go  away  from  him,  to  live 
"  without  him,  and  to  feek  Content  in  that  which  is  not 
"  God,  was  entirely  ilain  !  O  wretched  Man  that  I  aw, 
"'  whojhall  deliver  me  ?  Rom.  7.  14 24. 

If  Grace  and  Corruption  were  not  fo  contrary  the  one  to 
the  other,  fo  diametrically  oppofite,  there  might  poflibly  be 
an  Accommodation  between  them,  and  both  quietly  dwell 
together  in  the  fame  Heart :  But  now  they  are  fet  for  each 
other's  Ruin,  and  feek  each  other's  Deftru&iorf,  and  like 
Fire  and  Water  will  never  reft,  till  one  or  the  other  be 
entirely  deftroyed.  Gal.  5.  17. 

If  Grace  could  be  wholly  killed,  or  Corruption  wholly 
{lain,  then  the  Conflict  of  Believers  might  wholly  ceafe  in 
this  Life ;  but  Grace  is  immortal,  like  a  living  Spring  tha« 
fhall  never  dry,  (Job.  4.  14.  )  like  a  Root  that  will  ever 
grow,  (Mat.  13.  20—23)  and  Chrift  is  always  purging  15<  - 

O  4  JKVCV.S 


2OO          Inte  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

lievers,that  they  may  bring  forth  moreFruit.(Joh.  15.  2.)So 
that  he  that  is  born  of  God  cannot  Sin  as  others  do,(  i  Joh.%.  9. ) 
cannot  Sin,  but  againft  the  Grain  of  his  Heart,  the  gra 
cious  Nature  continually  refitting.  (Gal.  5.  ij.)  So  that 
it  is  certain,  from  the  Nature  of  Things,  that  David  and 
Solomon^  neither  of  them  felt,  in  their  worft  Frames,  as 
gracelefs  Men  do.  Grace  refilled  within,  (Gal.  5.  17.) 
hating  their  Proceedings,  nor  did  it  ceafe  inwardly  to  ftrug- 
gle  and  torment  them,  till  the  one  cries  out,  My  Bones  wax 
eld  thro*  my  roaring  all  the  Day  long.  Pfal.  52.  3.  Forte 
Sin  was  ever  before  his  Eyes.  Pfal.  31.3.  And  the  other, 
Vanity  of  Vanities,  all  is  Vanity  and  Vexation  of  Spirit.  '• 
Eccl.  1.2. 

Many  Stony-Ground-Hearers^  who  were  once  filled  with 
Light  and  Joy,  do  when  theirReligion  is  all  worn  out,  and 
they  lie  dead   and  blind  and  •  ftupid  whole  Months  and 
Years  together,  cry,  The  beft  are  dead  fometimes  ;  and  have 
Recourfe  to   David  and   Solomon  :  and  many   a   Hypo 
crite,   whofe  Religion  is  only  by  Fits  and  Pangs,  fome 
times  floated  as  the  Streets  be   in  Summer,  by  a  fudden 
Shower,  and  then  in  a  few  Days   as  dry  as  ever,  deceive 
themfelves  here  •,  and  many  take  natural  Confcience  to  be 
a  Principle  of  Grace,  and  the  War  between  that  and  their 
Corruptions  to  be  a  gracious  Conflict  :  But  as  all  coun 
terfeit  Religions   are  fpecifically  different  from  the  true, 
as  has  been  already  Ihewn,  fo  by  Confequence  their  Conflicl: 
is  different  from  that   which  Believers  have,  in  it's  very 
Nature.     They  fight,  from   different  Principles,  and   for 
different  Ends,  and  about  different  Things,  and  in  a  dif 
ferent  Manner,juft  as  theirReligions  differ  from  one  another. 
ii.  If  this  be  theNature  of  Converfion  andHolinefs,and 
the  Manner  wherein  they  are  wrought,  and  if  true  Religion 
be  thus  fpecifically  different  from  all  Counterfeits,*/^  may 
Believers  be  infallibly  certain  that  they  have  true  Grace.     A 
Man   cannot  but  perceive  his  own  Thoughts,  and  know 
y/hat  Views  he  has,  and  be  intuitively  acquainted  with  his 
cwn  Deiigns  and  Aims  ;  fo  every  Man  knows  it  is  with 
him,  as  to  the  Things  of  this  World.     Much  lefs  is  it  pof- 
fble  that  there  fhould  be  fo  great  a  Change  in  a  Man's 
Heart  and  Life,  Thoughts,Affedions  and  Actions,. -as  there 


and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   201 

is  made  by  Converfion,  and  yet  he  know  nothing  about  it; 
For  a  Man  to  be  awakened,  oat  of  a  State  of  Security  in 
Sin,  to  fee  what  a  finful,  guilty,  helplefs,  loft,  undone 
Eftate  he  is  in,   and  yet  not  to  perceive  any  Thing  of  it, 
evidently  implies  a  Contradiction,  and  fo  is  in  the  Nature 
of  Things  impoflible.     For  a  Man  to  be  brought  to  fee 
God  in  his  infinite  Glory,  fo  as  to  be  difpofed  to  love  him 
fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimately,  and  delight  in  him  fu- 
perlatively,&  yet  not  to  perceive  it,  i.  e.  not  to  be  confcious 
of  his  Views  and  Affections,  alfo  implies  a  Contradiction, 
and  fo  is  impoflible.     For  a  Man  to  Jofe  his  felfifh  and 
worldlyViews  more  and  more,  from  Year  to  Year,  and  die 
to  himlelf,  the  World  andSin,  and  for  a  Man  to  live  a  Life 
of  Communion  with  God,  perfecting  Holinefs  in  the  Fear 
of  the  Lord,  and  yet  not  at  all  to  perceive  it,  is  utterly  im 
poflible.     For  the  Mind  of  Man  is  naturally  confcious  to 
it's  own  Actings.     So,  from  the  Nature  of  Things,  it  is 
evident  that  Grace  is  perceptible.  Yea,  in  it's  own  Nature, 
it  muil  be  as  perceptible,  as  Corruption,  Love  to  God  as 
Love  to  theWorld,Sorrow  for  Sin  as  Sorrow  for  Affliction, 
aiming  at  God's  Glory  as  aiming  at  our  own  Honour  and 
Intereft.     But  if  true  Grace  be  in  it's  own  Nature  percep 
tible,  and  if  it  be  alfo  fpecifically  different  from  all  Coun 
terfeits,  it  is  Self-evident  that  a  good  Man  may  know  that 
he  has  trueGracc.     I  cannot  fee  why,  extraordinary  Cafes 
excepted,  a  good  Man,  who  lives  a  Life  of  Communion 
with  and  Devotednefs  to  God,  and  in  the  daily  Exercife  of 
every  Grace,  may  not  come  to  know  that  he  has  Grace. 
Surely  he  muft  be  confcious  to  the  Actings  of  his  own 
Mind  -,  for  this  is  natural.     And  furely  he  may  fee  the 
Difference  between  his  Religion  and  all  Counterfeits,when 
the  Difference  is  fo  great  &  plain.   So  that  if  theScriptures 
did  not  exprefly  teach  us  that  Affurance  is  attainable,  it  is 
yet  evidently  demonftrable  from  the  Nature  of  Things. 

But  the  Scriptures  do  plainly  teach  thisDo6trine,in  2  Pet. 
i.  10.  i  Job.  5.  13.  i  Job.  2.  3.  and  3.  14.  &c.  &c.— 
Befides,  ali  thofe  Promifes,  that  are  made  for  the  Comfort 
and  Support  of  God's  People  in  this  World,  fuppofe  that 
they  may  know  that  they  arc  the  People  of  God.  For 
uaiefs  a  Man  knows,  that  he  is  a  Child  of  God,  he  cannot 

rationally 


2O2         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

rationally  take  Comfort  in  thofe  Promifes,  which  are  pecu 
liar  to  fuch.  PC  is  true,  brazen  Hypocrites  will  do  fo,  but 
they  a6t  very  prefumptupufly.  It  is  Folly  &  Madnefs  for 
me  to  flatter  my  felf,  that  God  has  promifed  to  do  fo  and 
fo  for  me,  unlefs  I  knew  that  I  am  one  to  whom  the  Pro- 
mifes  belong.  For  Inftance,  it  is  Folly  and  Madnefs  for 
me  to  believe*  that  God  will  make  all  Things  work  together 
for  my  Goody  according  to  that  Promife  in  -Rom.  8.  28. 
unlefs  I  know  that  /  love  God :  For  this  Promife  plainly 
refpects  fuch,  and  no  other.  But  there  are  very  many  pre 
cious  Promtfes  made  to  Believers  in  the  Word  of  God, 
which  are  evidently  defigned  for  theirComfort  and  Support, 
It  is  certain  therefore  that  God  thinks  that  Believers  may 
know  they  are  fuch,  without  which  Knowledge,  all  thefe 
Promifes  cannot  attain  this  their  End. 

Befides,  to  fuppofe  that  to  be  a  Servant  of  God  and  a 
Servant  of  the  Devil,  to  be  going  the  Way  to  Heaven  and 
the  Way  to  Hell,  to  be  travelling  in  the  narrow  Way  and 
to  be  travelling  in  the  broad  Way,  are  fo  near  alike,  as  that 
even  good  Men  themfelves  cannot  poflibly  know  them 
afunder,  and  which  Way  they  are  going,  is  on  every  Ac 
count  intolerably  abfurd  •,  nor  could  the  Chriftian  World 
have  poflibly  drunk  in  fuch  a  Notion  but  that  true  Grace 
is  fo  very  fkre  a  Thing. 

I  may  here  by  the  Way  juft  obferve  thefe  three  Things; 
i .  That  the  Way  for  a  Man  to  know  that  he  has  Grace^  is  not 
to  try  himfelf  by  fallible  Signs^  but  intuitively  to  look  into  him- 
felf  and  fee  Grace.  A  Thoufand  Signs  of  Grace  will  not 
prove  that  a  Man  has  Grace.  There  is  no  Sign  of  Grace 
to  be  depended  upon,  but  Grace  it  felf:  For  every  Thing, 
but  Grace,  a  Hypocrite  may  have.  And  what  Grace,Ho- 
linefs,  or  true  Religion  is,  I  have  already  endeavoured  to 

{hew. 2.  'That  the  Way  for  a  Man  to  know  that  he  has 

Grace,  is  not  to  judge  himfelf  by  the  Degree  and  Meafure  of 
his  religious  Frames  and  Affeftions,  or  the  Height  of  his  At 
tainments  ;  but  by  the  fpecial  Nature,  of  them.  For  as  there 
is  not  any  one  Grace  but  a  Hypocrite  may  have  it's  Coun 
terfeit,  fo  Hypocrites  may  rife  as.  high  in  their  Religion  as 
any  true  Believer  does  in  his.  Was  Elijah  the  Prophet 
jealous  for.  the  Name  and  WorlHp  gf  the  true  God  and 


and dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  203 

againft  falfe  Religion  ?  So  was  Jehu.  And  he  appeared  as 
full  of  Zeal,  and  more  Couragious,  and  did  greaterExploits. 
There  was  fcarce  a  more  zealous  Saint  than  Elijah*  in  all 
Old-Teftament  Times ;  but  yet  Jehu*  that  Hypocrite,  made 
a  much  greater  Shew  and  Noife,  feemed  to  be  fuller  of 
Zeal,  and  Courage,  and  actually  did  greater  Exploits,  fet- 
ting  afide  the  Miracles  God  wrought  by  Elijah.  ( i  Kings  1 8, 
and  19.  Chap.— 2  Kings  9,  and  10.  Chap.)  And  we  don't 
read  of  one  Saint,  in  ail  the  Bible ,  that  failed  in  a  conftant 
Way,  twice  every  Week,  as  the  Pharifee  did.  (Luk.  iS.j 
And  there  is  not  one  Saint  in  all  the  Bible  that  ever  did, 
externally  and  vifibly,  any  higher  Acts  of  Self-denial,  than 
to  give  all  bis  Goods  to  feed  the  Poor^andbis  Body  to  be  burnt, 
and  yet  St.  Paul  intimates  that  a  Man  may  do  fo  and  frill 
have  no  Grace  in  his  Heart,  i  Cor,  13.3.  It  is  no  certain 
Evidence  therefore,  that  a  Man  is  a  good  Man,  becaufe  he 
has  a  great  deal  of  Religion,  more  than  the  moll,  and  full 
as  much  as  the  beft,  yea  more  than  any  in  all  the  Country, 
yea,or  in  all  the  whole  World.  For  mjehus  Time,  there  was 
not  perhaps  for  a  while  one  like  him,  upon  the  Face  of  the 
whole  Earth.  A  Man  therefore  cannot  know  that  he  is  a 
good  Man,  by  the  Degree  of  his  Religion,  but  only  from 
the  fpecial  Nature  of  it.  And  wherein  true  Religion  fpeci-< 
fically  differs  from  all  Counterfeits,  I  have  already  fhewn. — 
3.  Since  Grace  is  in  it's  own  Nature  perceptible^  andfpect- 
fically  different  from  all  Counterfeits,  there  is  no  Need  of  the 
immediate  Witnefs  of  the  Spirit ,  in  order  to  a  full  Affurance. 
If  the  Spirit  of  God  does  but  give  us  a  good  Degree  of 
Grace,  and  enlighten  our  Minds  to  underftand  the  Scrip 
tures,  and  fo  to  know  the  Nature  of  true  Grace,  we  may 
then  perceive  that  we  have  Grace.  And  the  more  Grace 
we  have,  the  more  perceptible  will  it  be,  and  it's  difference 
from  all  Counterfeits  will  be  the  more  plain.  And  if  a  Be- 
liever  may  know,  and  be  certain,  that  he  has  Grace,  with 
out  the  immediate  Witnefs  of  the  Spirit,  then  fuch  a  Wit 
nefs  is  altogether  needlefs,  and  would  be  of  no  Advantage ; 
but  God  never  grants  his  Spirit  to  Believers  to  do  Things 
needlefs  and  to  no  Advantage  :  and  therefore  there  is  no 
fuch  Thing  as  the  immediate  Witnefs  of  the  Spirit  in  this 
Affair.  And  befides,  'tis  plain,  the  Scriptures  every  where 

dire<ft 


2  04       True  Religion  delineated         D  i  s .  I. 

direct  us  to  look  into  our  felves,  to  fee  whether  we  love 
God  and  keep  his  Commands,  to  fee  whether  Chrift  in  his 
holy  Nature  be  formed  in  us,  to  fee  whether  theSpirit  as  an 
enlightener  and  fan<5lifier  dwells  in  us  and  influences  and 
governs  us ;  but  never  once  directs  us  to  look  for  the  im- 
me^iate  Witnefs  of  the  Spirit,  in  order  to  know  whether 
we  have  Grace. 

OBJ.  But  the  Text  fays  exprefly,  The  Spirit  it  felf 
beareth  Witnefs  with  our  Spirit,  that  we  are  the  Children 
of  God.  Rom.  8.  16. 

ANS.  But  the  Text  does  not  in  the  leaft  intimate,  that 
the  Spirit  witnefles  immediately.  The  Spirit  bears  witnefs  ; 
but  how  ?  The  Spirit  makes  it  evident  jhtt  we  are  the  Chil 
dren  of  God  ;  but  in  what  Way  ?  By  immediate  Revelation ! 
No,  the  Scripture  no  where  tells  us  to  look  for  fuch  Reve 
lations,  or  lays  down  any  Marks  whereby  we  may  know 
which  come  from  God,  and  which  from  the  Devil.  How 
then  does  the  Spirit  make  it  evident  that  we  are  the  Chil 
dren  of  God,  and  by  what  Witnefs  does  he  make  it  appear  ? 
Not  by  telling  of  us  that  we  are  Children*-,  the  Devil  may 
tell  Hypocrites  fo  -9  but  by  making  of  us  Children  in  the  very 
Temper  of  our  Hearts^  by  giving  to  us  much  of  a  Child-like 
Frame  of  Spirit  towards  God,  a  Thing  the  Devil  cannot 
do,  and  fo  a  Thing  by  which  we  may  certainly  know.  This 
holy,  divine,  child-like  Frame  andTemper  of  Heart,  where 
by  we  bear  the  very  Image  of  our  heavenly  Father,  is  God's 
Mark)  which,  more  or  lefs  confpicuoufly,  he  fets  upon  all 
theLamts  of  his  Flock.  This  is  the  Seal  of  the  Spirit.  (Eph. 
J.  13.)  For  this  is  the  Earneft  of  our  Inheritance.  (  $.  14.  ) 
3Tis  eternal  Life  begun  in  the  Soul.  (Job.  17.  3.)  This  is 
called  the  Witnefs  of  the  Spirit,  becaufe  it  is  what  the  Spirit 
'works  in  our  Hearts,  and  that  by  which  he  makes  it  evident 
that  we  are  the  Children  of  God  :  the  Defign  of  Witneffd 
being  to  make  Things  evident.  And  indeed  this  is  the  only 
diftinguijhing  Mark  that  God  puts  upon  his  Children,  and 
the  only  Thing  wherein  they  differ  from  all  Hypocrites,  and 
is  the  only  Evidence  the  Scripture  directs  them  to  look  for 
and  expert,  and  without  which  all  other  Evidences  are  juft 
good  for  Nothing.  Mat.  7.  24—27-  Job.  *5-  2»  J  7^' 
2.  3,  4.  and  3.  6 — 10. 

And 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   205 

*  And  this  being  theCafe,we  may  fee  how  much  out  of  the 
Way  thofe  be,  who  think  and  fay,/£rf/  it  is  aSin  for  them  to 
doubttheGoodnefsoftheirStateJecaufe  of  their Badnefa&  becaufe 
they  can  fee  no  Grace  /'»  their  Hearts.     "  For,  fay  they,  that 
"  would  be  to  callGod'sTruth  &Faithfulnefs  intoQueftion, 
"  who  has  by  his  Spirit  immediately   allured   me  of  his 
"  Love  and  my  Salvation  •,  juft  as  if  the  Immutability  of 
"  his  Purpofe  depended  upon   my  good  Frames.     No,  I 
"  muft  do  as  Abraham  did,  who  againft  Hope^  believed  in 
"  Hofe  ;  fo  thoj  1  fee  no  Grace  in  my  Heart   or  Signs  of 
"  any,  yet  I  muft  believe  my  State  is  good,  and  that  I  ihall 
"  be  faved.     It  is  not  my  Duty  to  look  fo  much  into  my 
"  own  Heart,  I  Ihall  never  be  the  better  for  that  •,   but  I 
"  muft  look  to  Chrift,  and  believe,  and  never  doubt.   For 
"  the  Spirit  of  God  did  xifuch  a  Time  allure  me  of  Chrift's 
"  Love  to  me,and  I  knew  I  was  not  deceived,  and  itwould 
"  now  be  a  great  Sin  in  me  to  doubt,  it  would  be  a  giving 
"  the  Lie  to  Chrift   and  to  the  holy  Spirit." 

How  fad  a  Delufion  are  fuch  poor  Sinners  under,  who 
dare  not  believe  the  holy  Scriptures,  for  fear  they  Ihall  Sin, 
which  every  where  allure  us,  that  unlefs  we  are  holy  in 
Heart  and  Life,our  Faith  is  vain  and  we  in  a  State  of  Con 
demnation  ;  and  teach  us  that  we  ought  to  be  no  more 
confident  of  our  good  Eftate,  than  in  Proportion  as  our 
Sanctification  is  evident  !  How  fad  it  is  that  they  Ihould 
attribute  all  their  Doubts  to  carnal  Reafon  or  the  Devil, 
which  indeed  are  but  the  fecret  Dictates  of  their  own  Con- 
fciences,  and  are  fo  agreeable  to  the  Word  of  God  !  What 
a  dreadful  Spirit  is  this,  that  thus  leads  them  off  from  the 
Word  of  God  ;  and  fo  blinds  their  Minds,  that  they  can 
not  underftand  it,  nor  dare  believe  it  !  Surely  it  can  be  no 
other  than  Satan  transfer  me  d  into  an  Angel  of  Light.  * 

Alas! 
.  . 

*  OBJ.  But  the  Scripture  forbids  Doubting.  Mat.  14  31.  O  thou  of  little 
Faith,  wherefore  didft  thou  doubt  ? 

ANSW.  In  that  Text  Chrift  does  not  blame  Peter  for  doubting  his  State, 

but  for  doubting  he  mould  be  drowned. 

OBJ.  But  Chrift  upbraided  them  with  their  Unbelief,  Mar.  16.  14. 
ANSW.  He  did  not  blame  them  for  not  believing  they  were  in  a  good 

Kflate,  but  for  not  believing  that  he  was  rifen  from  the  Dead. 

EJ.  But  Airaham  is  commended,  in   that  againft   Hope  he   believed  in 

Hope,  Rom.  4.  18.  ANSW. 


2O6        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

Alas  !  Alas!  How  dees  the  God  of  this  World  blind 
the  Minds  of  them  that  believe  not  !  Some  firmly  believe 
that  there  is  no  fuch  Thing,  as  a  good  Man's  knowing  that 
he  hasGrace  •,  and  fo  they  contentedly  live  along, not  know 
ing  what  World  they  rrre  haftening  unto,  to  Heaven  or  to 
Hell  ;  but  they  hope  their  State  is  good,  and  hope  their  Hope 
is  well  grounded,  but  know  not  but  that  their  Hope  is  that  of 
the  Hypocrite.  Yea,  they  are  not  willing  to  believe  there 
is  any  fuch  Thing  as  knowing  for  that  would  make  them 
fufpecl  that  they  are  wrong,  and  that  true  Religion  is  fome- 
thing  they  never  had  :  which  if  it  be  the  Cafe,  yet  they 
are  not  willing  to  know  it.  They  hide  themfelves  in  the 

dark! 

• 

ANSW.  But  the  Thing  to  be  believed,  and  hoped  for,was,  that  he  mould 
have  a  Son,  which  he  had  good  Grounds  to  expert :  So  this  is  no 
thing  to  the  Purpofe. 

OBJ.  But  St.  Paul  fays,  We  walk  by  Faith,  and  not  by  Sight,  2  Cor.  5.  7. 

ANSW.  That  is,  in  all  their  Conduct  they  were  governed  by  a  realizing 
Belief  of  unfeen  Things,  and  not  by  Things  feen  and  temporal.  zCor. 
4.  1 8.  It  was  not  Paul's  Way  to  lie  dead  whole  Months  and  Years 
together,  nor  was,  he  ever  drove  to  fuch  a  Strait,  as  to  be  forced  to 
believe  himfelf  to  be  in  a  good  Eftate,  without  fufficient  Evidence. 

OBJ.  But,  what  is  not  of  Faith,  is  Sin,  Rom.  14.  23.  But  Doubts  arift 
from  Unbelief. 

ANSW.  i.  If  any  Man  does  not  believe  that  it  is  lawful  for  him  to  do 
fome  particular  Act,  and  yet  venture?  to  do  it,  he  fins,  he  acts  againft 
his  own  Confcience.  This  is  the  plain  Senfe  of  the  Text.  And  fo 
this  Text  is  nothing  to  the  Purpofe. 

2.  An  Hypocrite's  Doubts  are  wont  to  arife  from  Unbelief,  i.e.   from 
his  not  ftedfaftly  believing  the  immediate  Revelations  which  he  had 
from  the  Devil,  that  his  Sins  are  pardoned.     The  Devil  trys   to  keep 
him  quiet,  but  fometimes  his  Confcience  is  a  little  awakened,and  then 
he  fears  and  doubts  he  is  deluded  ;  and  now  the  Devil  tries  to  make 
him  believe  that  it  is  a  Sin  to  doubt.    The  Devil  would  fain  make 
him  believe  all  is  well,  i.  e.  beLeve  at  a  venture,  without  a  thoro* 
Search  and  Trial,  and  without  famcient  Evidence. 

3.  It  is  a  Sin  for  a  true  Believer  to  live  fo   as  not  to  have  his  Eviden 
ces  clear  ;  but  it  is  no  Sin  for  him  to  be  fo  honeft  and  impartial,  as  to 
doubt,  when  in  Fact  his  Evidences  are  not  clear.     It  is  a  Sin  to  darken 
his  Evidences  ;  but  it  is  no  Sin  to  fee  that  they  are  darkened.    It  is  a 
Sin  for  a  Man,  by  Rioting  and  Drunkennefs,  to  make  himfelf  fick  ; 
but  it  is  no  Sin  to  feel  that  he  is  fick  ;  or,  if  there  be  Grounds  for 
it,  to  do.ibt  he  fhall  die.    We  may  bring  Calamities  upon  our  felves 
by  our  Sins,  both  outward   and  inward  ;  and  our   Calamities  may 
arife  from  our  Sins  ;  and  y«t  W  Calamities  have  not  the  Nature  of 


•  and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  207 

dark  !  They  fay,  There  is  no  Light !  And  will  not  believe 
that  a  good  Man  may  -know  that  he  has  faffed  from  Death 
to  Life.  While  others  from  the  very  fame  Principle,  viz; 
lecaufe  they  1) ate  the  Light  ^  firmly  believe  that  it  is  a  Sin  to 
doubt  5  and  fo  will  never,  dare  never,  call  their  State  int6 
Queftion,  and  thoro'ly  look  thro*  the  Matter.  Both  arc 
equally  rotten  at  Heart,  and  fo  equally  hate  the  Light, 
alt  ho'  they  take  different  Methods  to  keep  from  it.  And 
the  Devil  does  his  utmoft,  to  keep  both  faft:  bound  wherfc 
they  are. 

Happy  the  true  Believer,  who  is  made  impartial  by  di 
vine  Grace  !  It  is  a  Recovery  to  God  and  Holinefs,that  he 
is  after  -,  a  Confidence  that  his  Sins  are  pardoned,  without 
this^  would  be  but  a  poor  Thing.  If  he  obtains  tbis^  he 
gets  what  he  wants :  and  if  not,  he  feels  himfelf  undone  ; 
nor  can  he  flatter  himfelf  that  he  has  obtained  it,  when  he 
has  not.  And  this  he  makes  his  only  Evidence  of  God's 
eternal  Love,  and  of  his  Title  to  eternal  Glory  ;  and  be 
lieves  his  State  to  be  good,  no  farther  than  this  goes. 
Mat.  7.  21 27. 

Thus  I  have  gone  thro*  the  frfl  Ufe,  the'Ufe  of 
Inftruttion.  And  thus  we  fee  how  a  right  underftanding 
of  the  Law^  will  fet  many  of  the  Important  Doctrines  of 
Religion  in  a  clear  and  eafy,  in  a  fcriptural  and  rational* 
Light.  By  the  Law  we  may  learn  the  primitive  State  of 

Man, 

Sins,  but  are  rather  of  the  Nature  of  Punijhments.  Tis  Sin  in  Belie 
vers  which  lays  the  Foundation  for  Doubts  ;  'tis  Sin  which  is  the  Oc- 
cafion  of  their  Doubts  ;  but  their  Doubts  are  not  Sins  e'er  the  more 
for  this.  Some  feem  to  fuppofe  that  every  Thing  which  is  occafion- 
ed  by  Sin,  is  Sin  :  but  there  is  no  Truth  in  their  Suppofition.  'Tis 
not  a  Sin  for  unconverted  People  to  think  themfelves  to  be  unconverted, 
and  yet  that  Thought  of  themfelves  is  occafioned  by  Sin  :  for  their 
being  unconverted  is  their  Sin. 

OBJ.  But  Believers  are  exhorted  to  hold  faft  their  Confidence.  Heb.  3.  6. 
And 'it  is  faid,  ver.  14.  For  we  are  made  Partakers  of  Chrift,  if  we 
hold  the  beginning  of  our  Confidence  iiedfaft  unto  th€  End. 

ANSW.  That  is,  their  Confidence  that  Jefus  is  the  Chrift*  together  with 
a  true  Faith  in  him,  as  is  nianifeft  from  the  whole  Context.  Nor  is 
any  Thing  more  abfurd  than  to  lay,  that  Me  a  lhall  bn  made  Partakers 
qf  Chrift,  if  tiiey  hold  faft  their  Confidence  of  their  good  Eftate,  which 
is  what  many  a  Hypocrite  does,  and  that  to  the  very  laft,  Mat.  7.2*- 
Luk.  13.  25,  26,  27. 


208         True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  L 

Man,  and  how  low  we  are  fallen,  and  to  what  we  mull  be 
recovered ;  and  fo  by  Confequence  how  averfe  we  are  to  a 
Recovery,  what  Grace  we  need  to  recover  us  •,  and  fo  by 
Confequence  that  we  mull  be  faved  by  fovereign  Grace,  or 
not  at  all ;  whence  the  Reafonablenefs  of  the  Saints  Perfe- 
verance  appears  -,  and  from  the  whole,  the  Nature  of  the 
chriftian  Conflict,  and  the  Attainablenefs  of  AfTurance  are 
difcovered.  And  I  will  conclude  this  Ufe  with  two  Re 
marks. 

Remark  i .  If  the  Law  requires  what,  I  think,  I  have 
.proved  it  does,  and  a  Conformity  to  it  confifts  in  what  I 
have  before  defcribed  •,  then  all  the  other  Particulars  do 
neceiTarily  &  moil  inevitably  follow  :  Such  was  the  Image 
of  God  in  which  Adam  was  created,  and  fuch  is  our  natural 
Depravity,  and  fuch  are  the  bed  Duties  of  the  Unregene- 
rate,  and  fuch  is  the  Nature  of  Converfion,  and  our  Aver- 
fion  to  it,  &c.  So  that  if  my  firft  Principles  are  true, 
then  the  whole  Scheme  is  beyond  Difpute  true  alfo. — And 
what  are  my  firft  Principles  ?  Why,  that  to  love  God  with 
all  our  Hearts,  and  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves,  is  origi 
nally  the  very  EfTence  of  Religion  :  And  that  theGrounds 
upon  which  God  requires  us  fo  to  do,  are  to  be  the  Mo 
tives  of  our  Obedience.  He  requires  us  to  love  him  fu- 
premely  &c.  becaufe  he  is  fupremely "glorious  and  amiable, 
and  becaufe  our  additional  Obligations  to  him  are  what 
they  are.  He  requires  us  to  love  our  Neighbours  as  our 
felves,  becaufe  they  are  what  they  are,  and  ftand  in  fuch 
Relations  to  us.  With  a  perfect  moral  Rectitude  of  Tem 
per,  influenced  and  governed  by  Truth,  by  the  Reafon 
and  Fitnefs  of  Things,  he  would  have  us  love  and  glorify 
him  as  GOD,  i.  e.  as  being  what  he  is  j  and  love  and  treat 
our  Neighbours  as  being  what  they  are.  And  is  not  this 
evidently  the  meaning  of  the  divineLaw  ? 

Remark  2.  If  the  Law,  as  a  Rule  of  Life,  be  fo  abated 
and  altered,  as  that  now  it  cnly  requires  us  merely  from  a 
Principle  of  Self-love  and  for  Self-Ends  fmcerely  to  endea 
vour  to  love  God  and  keep  his  Ccmmands,  and  aim  at 
his  Glory  :  and  if  the  Law,  as  a  Covenant,be  difannulled, 
and  fuch  an  Obedience  be  fubftituted  in  the  Room  of 
Perf ection,  as  a  Condition  of  eternal  Life,  or  as  a  Condition 

of 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  209 

of  our  Intereft  in  Chrift  *,  then  the  contrary  to  all  that  I 
have  laid  down  is  moil  true  and  certain.  For  let  the  pri 
mitive  State  of  Man  be  what  it .  would,  'tis  plain,  we 
are  not  entirely  deftitute  of  a  Conformity  to  this  new  Law, 
much  lefs  diametrically  oppofite  to  it  in  the  natural  Tem 
per  of  our  Minds,  nor  are  our  beft  Duties,  while  unrege- 
nerate,  Sin  ;  'tis  plain,  Converfion  is  another  and  a  muck 
eafier  Thing,  and  that  we  are  not  fo  intirely  averfe  to  it, 
and  do  not  need  irrefiilible  Grace,  nor  lie  at  God's  fove- 
reign  Mercy,  &c.  All  thefe  Things,  and  many  more 
fuch  like,  are  plain,  if  the  good  old  Law  is  thus  altered  and 
abated,  and  thus  difannulled,  if  the  new  Law  requires  no 
more,  and  this  be  the  Condition  of  eternal  Life,  or  of  an 
Intereft  in  Chrift. —  So  that  if  any  are  difpofed  to  difbe- 
lieve  what  have  been  laid  down  as  Coniequences,  and  to 
build  up  another  Fabrick,  it  they  will  be  confident  with 
themfelves,  they  can  lay  no  other  Foundation  than  this, 
viz.  $0  deftrcy  the  Law  •,  which  I  have  before  proved  to  be 
as  impoflible  as  to  deftroy  the  Nature  of  God  ;  becaufc  the 
moral  Law  necefTarily  reliilts  from  the  divine  Perfections, 
and  our  Obligations  to  conform  to  it  are  infinite,  eternal 
and  unchangeable,  as  the  Nature  and  Perfections  of  God 
himfelf. 

And  therefore,  I  think,  we  may  conclude  with  the 
greatcft  Certainty,  that  this  Foundation,  viz.  that  theLaw 
is  thus  abated  and  altered,'  is  but  Sand  ;  and  that  the  Fa- 
brick  built  upon  it  will  not  ftand.  If  the  Law  had  requir 
ed  us  to  love  our  felves  fupremely,  and  live  to  our  felves  ul 
timately,  and  to  have  endeavoured  to  love  God  and  our 
Neighbours  only  to  anfwer  our  own  Ends  •,  then  this  Sort 
of  Religion  would  have  been  right.  Did  l-fay9rigb(  ?  No, 
it  would  not  be  right,  being  unalterably  contrary  to  the 
very  Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things  \  nor  could  fuch  a  Law 
have  been  poflibly  made  by  a  God  who  lovesRighteoufnefs, 
and  hates  Iniquity. — But  if  this  was  right  ^  if  this  was  Re 
ligion,  'tis  plain,  Mankind  have  the  Roct  of  the  Matter  in 
them  ;  for  they  arc  all  naturally  inclined  to  love  themfelves 
fupremely,and  live  to  themfelves  ultimately  ;  and  fo  would 
not  need  to  be  born  again^  to  have  a  new  Nature  \  the  eld  Na 
ture  would  be  fuiHcient  j  they  would  only  need  to  be  ccn- 

P  vinced 


2io         *True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

vinced  that  it  is  for  their  Intereft  to  endeavour  to  love  God 
•and  do  their  Duty,  and  merely  Self-love  would  make  them 
religious,  in  order  to  anfwer  their  own  Ends.  But  if  the 
Law  never  has  been  thus  abated  and  altered,  then  this  Re 
ligion  is  really  no  Religion  at  all,  nothing  but  mere  Hypo- 
crify,  and  of  a  Nature  diametrically  oppofite  to  true  Holi- 
nefs.  Only  let  it  be  clearly  determined,  What  the  Nature 
cf  the  moral  Law  is,  and  there  will  be  a  final  End  put  to  a 
hundred  Controverfies. 

Here  is  a  Man,  he  reforms  his  Life  a  little,  and  joins 
with  the  Church,  he  prays  in  his  Family,  and  fometimes  in 
his  Clofet,and  for  the  moft  Part,  it  may  be,  he  is  honeft  in 
his  Dealings,  and  civil  and  fober  in  his  Behaviour  ;  and 
this  is  his  Converlion,  this  is  his  Religion.  And  now 
he  pleads,  that  Converfion  is  a  gradual  Thing,  becaufe  his 
was  fuch  •,  and  that  a  Man  cannot  know  when  he  was  con 
verted,  becaufe  that  is  the  Cafe  with  him  ;  that  there  is  no 
Need  of  irrefiftible  Grace,  becaufe  he  knows  that  it  is  a 
pretty  eafy  Thing  to  convert  as  he  has  done  •,  and  he  hates 
the  Do&rine  of  divine  Sovereignty,  becaufe  he  never  felt 
any  Need  of  a  fovereign  Grace  to  fave  him  ;  and  he  holds 
falling  from  Grace,  becaufe  his  Religion  is  as  eafily  loft  as 
got. — But  does  he  know  that  he  has  any  Grgce,  after  all  ? 
No,  no,  that  is  a  Thing  (fays  he)  none  can  know.  He  be 
lieves,  the  holy  Spirit  affifts  him  ;  but  he  is  not  fenfible  of 
his  Influences  or  of  any  Help  from  him,  any  more  than  if 
he  had  none.  He  believes,  he  loves  God  and  is  a  true 
Saint  at  Heart  ;  but  he  does  not  feel  any  more  Love  to 
God,  or  Grace  in  hisHeart,tharr  as  if  there  was  none  there  -y 
and  the  Reafon  is,  becaufe  there  is  none.  But  being  fe- 
cure  in  Sin,  and  it  being  for  his  worldly  Intereft  to  make  a 
Profeflion  of  Religion,  he  now  fets  up  for  a  good  Man. 
For  without  the  Law  Sin  is  dead,  and  ib  he  is  alive  without 
the  Law.  R^om.  7.  8,9.  And  now  thofe  Doctrines  and 
that  Preaching,  which  is  calculated  to  detect  his  Hypocrify 
and  awaken  him  out  of  his  Security,  he  hates  and  cries 
out  againft.  And  if  any  feern  to  experience  any  Thing 
further  in  Religion  than  he  has,  for  that  very  Reafon,  he 
condemns  it  all  for  Delufion.  But  he  pretends  mightily  to 
plead  up  for  Morality  and  good  Works,  tho'  in  Truth  he 

is 


.  and  diftmguifoed from  all  Counterfeits.  211 

is  an  Enemy  to  all  real  Holinefs.  This  is  the  Courfe  of 
many,  but  fome  are  more  iincere  and  ftrict  and  confcien- 
tious  in  their  Way. 

But  let  Men  be  ever  fo  iincere,  ftricl:  and  confcientious 
in  their  Religion,  if  all  reiults  merely  from  Self-love,  the 
flavifh  Fears  of  Hell,  and  mercenary  Hopes  of  Heaven  ; 
there  is  not  in  all  their  Religion,  the  leaft  real  genuine 
Conformity  to  the  moral  Law.  It  is  all  but  an  hypocri 
tical,  feigned  Shew  of  Love  and  Obedience.  It  is  not  the 
Thing  which  the  Law  requires,  but  fomething  of  a  quite 
different  Nature  :  unlefs  we  lay  aiide  God's  old  and  ever- 
lafting  Law,  and  invent  a  new,  abated,  altered  Law,  which 
fhall  declare  that  to  be  right, which  in  the  Nature  of  Things 
is  unalterably  wrong  :  and  by  fuch  a  Law,  fuch  a  Religion 
will  pafs  for  genuine.  But  it  is  fad,  when  we  are  drove  to 
invent  a  new  Law^  to  vindicate  our  Religion  and  our  Hopes 
of  Heaven  -,  fince  at  the  Day  of  Judgment  we  fhali  find 
the  old  Law  to  be  in  full  Force. 

I  am  feniible,  that  old  Objection  will  always  be  riling  : 
"  But  it  is  not  juft  that  God  Ihould  require  of  us  more 
"  than  we  can  do,  ^nd  then  threaten  to  damn  us  for  not 
"  doing  of  it."  Juft  as  if  God  may  not  require  us  to  love 
him  with  all  our  Hearts,  merely  becaufe  we  are  not  fuited 
with  him  :  And  juft  as  if  we  were  not  to  Blame  for  being 
of  fuch  a  bad  Temper  and  Difpofition,  merely  becaufe  we 
are  thoro'ly  fettled  in  it  and  have  noHeart  to  be  otherwife  : 
Juft  as  if  the  worfe  any  one  is,  the  lefs  he  is  to  Blame  ;  . 
than  which  nothing  can  be  more  abfurd.  Truly,  I  cannot 
but  think,  that  by  this,  we  are  fo  far  from  being  excufed, 
that  even  merely  for  this,  we  deferve  eternal  Damnation. 
For  what  can  be  much  worfe,  than  be  fo  thoro'ly  fettled 

and  fixed  in  fuch  a  badTemper  of  Mind  ? But  notwith- 

flanding  all  that  I  have  offered  to  clear  this  Point  heretofore, 
I  will  add,  that  if  it  is  not  juft  for  God  to  require  any  more 
of  us  than  we  can  do  ;  i.  e.  any  more  than  we  have,  not 
only  a  natural,  but  a  moral  Power  to  perform  •,  then  thefe 
Things  will  neceflarily  follow  : 

i .  That  there  was  net  the  leaft  Need  of  Ckrifis  dyirg  for 
us  as  cur  Redeemer.  For,  did  we  need  him  to  make  any 
Atonement  or  Satisfaction  for  our  Sins  ?  Surely  no.  fcr 

P  2  God 


212         True  Religion  delineated       D I  s .  I  * 

God  could  not  juftly  require  of  us  more  Satisfaction  for  our 
Sins,  than  we  were  able  to  make  \  for  that  would  be  to 
require  more  than  we  can  do. —  Did  we  need  him  to  pur- 
ehafe  the  divine  Favour  and  eternal  Life  for  us  ?  Surely 
no.  For  God  could  not  juftly  require  any  more  of  us  as 
a  Condition  of  his  Favour  and  eternal  Life,  than  we  our 
felves  were  able  to  do. —  Did  we  need  him  to  purchafe  an 
Abatement  of  the  Law  ?  Surely  no.  For  God  could  not 
in  his  Law  juftly  require  of  us  more  than  we  could  do  ^ 
and  we  did  not  need  to  have  the  Law  brought  down  low 
er  than  this. — Well  therefore  might  St.  Paul  tell  the  Gala- 
tions,  that  if  Rightecufnefs  came  by  the  Law,  then  Chrift  is 
dead  in  vain.  Gal.  2.  21.  For  if  our  doing  as  well  as  we 
can,  in  the  Senfe  before  explained,  is  all  that  Righteoufnefs 
that  God  can  juftly  require  »,  this  alone  moft  certainly 
would  be  every  Way  fufficient  for  our  Salvation  -y  nor  did 
we  need  a  Saviour  any  more  than  the  Angels  in  Heaven  ; 
for  we  have  juft  as  much  Power  to  do  as  well  as  we  can,  as 
they  have  to  do  as  well  as  they  can.  To  fay  the  contrary, 
is  a  Contradiction  in  exprefs  Terms. 

2.  Nor  was  there  the  haft  Need  theft  the  hcly  Spirit  Jhould 
le  fent  into  the  World,  to  grant  any  inward  Affiftance^  to  ena 
ble  us  to  do  cur  Duty  ;  for  we  had  a  full  and  perfect  Power 
to  do  all  our  Duty,  without  any  fuch  AfUftance  •,  for  God 
could  not  juftly  require  of  us,  any  more  than  we  could  do  ; 
and  every  one  is  able  to  do  what  he  can^  without  any  Afiif- 
tance. 

So  that  if  thisPrinciplebe  tru^thatGod  cannot  juftly  require 
cf  us  any  more  than  we  can  do,it  is  plain  we  neither  needed  a 
Redeemer  nor  .zSanffifar  •,  So  thatall  the  infinitePains  which 
God  has  taken  for  our  Redemption  and  Salvation,  has  been 
unnecefTary  and  fruitlefs.  To  do  as  well  as  we  could,  was 
all  that  would  have  been  needful ;  and  this  is  ftill  as  much 
required  as  ever.  So  that  we  are  juft  where  we  fhould  have 
been,  if  nothing  had  ever  been  done  for  us.  So  that  this 
Notion  entirely  undermines  and  fubverts  the  whole  Chriftian 
Religion^  in  fuppofing  that  all  the  extraordinary  and,  won- 
deriui.  Provifion  therein  made  for  the  Salvation  of  Sinners 
was  needlefs.  For  if  all  was  needlefs,  then  the  whole  is 
perfectly  incredible  -9  for  it  is  incredible  to  fuppofe  that 

God 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Connterfeits.  213 

God  would  do  fo  much  and  fucb  great  Things,  when  there 
was  no  Need  of  it.  So  that  this  Notion  leads  directly  to 
Infidelity.  Yea,  if  this  Principle  be  true,  we  may  be  cer 
tain  that  the  Gofpel  is  full  of  Deceit  j  for  the  Gofpel  every 
where  fuppofes  Sinners  to  have  been  in  a  belflefs,  undone 
Eftate,  and  that  they  might  juftly  have  been  left  fo,  and 
perilhed  for  ever.  And  it  every  where  reprefents  it  as 
owing  entirely  to  the  free  Grace  and  infinitely  great  Good- 
nefs  of  God,  that  he  fent  his  Son  into  the  World  to  be  a 
Saviour,  and  the  holy  Spirit  to  be  a  Sanclifier  *,  all  which, 
upon  this  Principle,  is  notoriously  falfe.  For  we  were  not 
in  a  belflejs,  undone  Condition  •,  being  able,  of  our  felves, 
to  do  all  that  God  could  juftly  require  of  us,  in  order  to 
eternal  Life.  Nor  did  we  need  to  be  beholden  to  God  for 
his  Grace  and  Goodnefs,  his  Son  or  his  Spirit  -,  being  able, 
of  our  felves,  to  do  all  that  which  he  could  juftly  require 
at  our  Hands.  Yea,  upon  this  Principle,  the  Gofpel  of 
fers  the  high  eft  Affront  to  human  Nature,  in  that  it  fuppofes 
us  to  be  fuch  vile,  helplefs,  undone,  guilty  Wretches,  when, 
indeed,  and  inTruth,  we  be  not.  And  therefore  fo  long  as 
Men  really  believe  thisNotion,they  cannot  pofTibly  but  hate 
the  Doctrines  of  the  Gofpel,  and  oppofe  them.  And  fo, 
in  Fact,  it  has  always  been. 

To  conclude,  therefore,  fince  it  is  fo  evident  from  the 
Law,  and  fo  evident  from  the  Gofpel,  that  we  are  fmful, 
guilty,  helplefs,  undone  Creatures  ;  had  not  we  better  give 
into  it,  and  come  down,  and  lie  in  the  Duft,  before  the 
Lord,  who  knows  what  we  be,  whether  we  will  own  it  or 
no  ?  Had  we  not  better  own  his  Law  to  be  holy,  juft  and 
good,  and  acknowledge  that  we  lie  at  his  fovereignMercy, 
and  be  willing  to  be  beholden  to  free  Grace  thro'  Jefus 
Chrift  for  our  Salvation  ;  fince  we  muft  do  fo,  or  never  be 
faved  ?  What  will  it  profit  us  to  fly  in  his  Face,  and  fay, 
//  is  not  juft  for  him  to  require  more  than  we  can  do,  and- 
then  damn  us  for  not  doing  ?  When  all  that  he  requires,  is 
only  that  we  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts,  and  our  Neigh- 
bcur  as  our  felves  -,  which,  in  the  Nature  of  Things  is  infi 
nitely  reafonable  :  and  when  all  our  Impotency  strifes  only 
from  our  Badnefs,and  fo,  inftead  of  extenuating  our  Fault* 
only  dif^pvers  how  bad  we  be.  Surely  fince  all 


214.          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

ftand  guilty  before  God,  really  guilty,  and  are  fo  accounted 
by  him  -,  we  all  had  belt  flop  our  Mouths,  and  own  the 
Sentence  juft,  by  which  we  Hand  condemned ;  while  it  is 
a  Time  of  Mercy  :  for  who  can  tell  butGod  may  pity  us  ? 

There  is  but  one  Way  now  left  to  evade  the  Force  of 
what  has  been  faid.  To  a  ftrict  Demonftration,  the  .Law 
is  not,  and  cannot  be  abated  :  there  is  now  no  Way  there 
fore  but  tb  deny  that  there  ever  was  fuch  a  Law.  But  then, 
if  Gcd  be  what  I  fuppofe  him  to  be,  to  a  Demonftration 
the  Law  muft  be  fuch  too.  There  is  no  Way  therefore,  but 
to  deny  that  there  is  any  fuch  GOD  !  Well,  but  if  God  be 
not  what  I  fuppofe  ;  what  is  he  ?  Why,  we  may  fee  the 
whole  Scheme,  by  the  following  Objection,  in  a  few  Words. 

OBJ.  God  is  a  Being  of  infinite  Under/landing  and  almighty 
Power i  perfectly  difpcfed  to  feek  the  Good  and  Happmefs  of  his 
Creatures,  as  his  LAST  END.  He  loves  Virtue  and  rewards 
it)  merely  becaufe  it  tends  to  make  them  happy.  He  hates  Vice 
and  punijhes  it,  merely  becaufe  it  tends  to  make  them  miferable. 
All  he  has  in  View,  in  his  Commands  and  Prohibitions,  in  his 
Prc'mifes  and  'fhreatnings,  is  the  Good,  and  nothing  but  merely 
the  Good)  of  hisCrealures,  Tea,he  efteemtfhings  to  be  virtuous, 
merely  becaufe  they  tend  to  make  us  happy,  and  vicious  merely 
becaufe  they-  tend  to  make  us  miferable.  And  now  there 
fore,  if  we  look  upon  things  as  be  does,  and  prof  ecute  the  fame 
End  \  if  we  love  and  praEtifeVirtue  with  ajincere  View  to  our 
own  Happinefs,  as  our  LAST  END  ;  we  do  all  that  God 
would  have  us  do.  And  how  can  we,  if  we  weigh  Things,  but 
moft  heartily  andjincerely  love  fo  good  a  God,  fo  kind  a  Fa 
ther,  who  fo  dearly  loves  us,  and  fo  tenderly  feeks  cur  Good  ? 

ANS.  True,  if  God  were  veriiyfucb  a  one,  the  moft  wick 
ed  Man  in  the  World  could  not  but  love  him.  Self-love 
would  make  it  natural.  Even  Publicans  love  thofe,  who 
love  them  ;  and  arc  good  to  thofe,  who  are  kind  to  them,, 
Mat.  5.  Did  Men  firmly  believe  God  to  be  fuch  a  one, 
they  could  not  indeed  ppffibly  be  at  Enmity  againft  him. 
ScU-love  would  not  admit  of  it.  Men  would  not  need  any 
cc  to  make  them  love  God :  Nature  would  make  them 
love  him.  They  could  not  but  love  him,  fo  long  as  they 
loved  tliemfelves.  And  now"  if  God  indeed  be  fuch  a  one, 
I  readily  own,  there  is  noTruth  in  my  whole  Scheme  -,  but, 

from 


and  diftinguifaed from  all  Counterfeits.  215 

from  firft  to  laft,  it  is  all  a  Miftake.  For  it  is  altogether 
built  upon  a  Suppofhion,  that  there  is  a  God,  of  a  Temper 
effentially  different. 

But  then  I  would  Query,  if  God  be  fuch  a  one,  if  he  aims 
only  at  his  Creature's  Happinefs,  why  does  he  ever  inflict 
Mifery  upon  them  ?  If  he  means  only  to  make  them  hap 
py,  why  does  he  ever  make  them  miferable  ?  Why  did  he 
drown  the  old  World^  burn  Sodom,  and  why  does  he  damn 
Sinners  to  all  Eternky  ? 

It  cannot  be,  becaufe  Juftice  requires  it.  For,  upon  this 
Scheme,  Juftice  does  not  require  it.  For  upon  this  Scheme 
Sin  does,  in  ftrict  Juftice,  deferve  no  Punifhment  at  all. 

A  Crime  deferves  no  Punifhment,  any  farther  than  it  is 
blame-worthy.  A  Crime  is  blame-worthy,  no  farther  than 
we  are  under  Obligations  to  do  otherwife.     According  to 
their  Scheme,  all  our  Obligations  to  be  virtuous   refult 
merely  from  its  Tendency  to  make  us  happy.  Upon  their 
Scheme  therefore,  a  Sinner  is  to  blame  for  his  Sins,  merely 
becaufe  Sin  is  crofs  to  his  own  Happinefs,and  tends  to  make 
him  miferable.  There  is  no  other  Evil  in  Sin  but  this.  This 
is  the  only  Reafon  why  God  hates  it,  is  fet  againfl  it,  and 
difpofed  to  punifh  it.     This  is  the  only  Reafon  why  he 
would  have  them  avoid  it.     And  this  is  the  only  Reafon 
they  arc  to  Blame  for  it.     No  Man  is  blame-worthy  for 
Sin,  any  farther  than  he  was  under  Obligations  to  the  con- 
trary.     All  our  Obligations  to  Virtue,  according  to  them, 
arife  from  its  natural  Tendency  to  make  us  happy.     And 
therefore  all  the  Evil  of  Sin  muft  arife  from  it's  natural 
Tendency  to  make  us  miferable.     This  Mifery,  therefore, 
is  exadly  equal  to  the  Evil  of  Sin.  For  all  the  Evil  of  Sin 
arifes  from  it,  or  rather  confifts  in  it.     This  Mifery  is  all 
the  Evil  of  Sin  ;  and  this  Mifery  is  therefore  all  that  ren 
ders  Sin  blame-worthy.  /.  e.  I  am  to  blame  for  taking  a 
Courfe  that  tends  to  make  me  miferable.  And  why  ?  Mere 
ly  becaufe  it  tends  to  make  me  miferable.    For  that  Rea 
fon,  and  for  no  other.     Therefore  I  am  fo  much  to  Blame, 
and  no  more  for  what  I  do,  than  according  to  the  Degree 
of  it's  Tendency  to  make  me  miferable.  This  Mifery  there 
fore,  which  naturally  refults  from  what  I  do,  is  equal  to 
&y Blam*  Aad  is  therefore  the  wwft,  and  all  that  I  deferve, 

P 


216         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

For  no  Crime  deferves  to  be  punifhcd,any  farther  than  it  is 
blame- worthy.  *  And  from  the  whole,  to  a  Demonftration, 
it  follows,  that  upon  their  Scheme,  Sin  deferves  no  inflided 
Pain  or  Mifery,  by  Way  of  Funilhment  •,  over  and  above 
the  Pain  or  Mifery  which  refults  necerTarily  from  its  own 
Nature.  And  now  if  Sin  does  not  deferve  any  fuch  Punifh- 
ment,  th^n  Juftice  does  not  require  the  Governour  of  the 
World  to  inflict  any  fuch,  upon  any  of  his  Creatures,  tho' 
ever  fo  fmlul.  For  Juftice  does  not  fequire  him  to  inflidt 
a  Puniihment  that  is  not  at  all  deferved.  Yea,  rather  it 
feems  Cruelty  fo  to  do.  If  therefore  Juftice  did  not  require 
it,why  didGod  drown  the  oldWorld  and  burn.W0#2,and  why 
does  he  damn  Sinners  to  all  Eternity  ? 

Certa.njy,  He  did  not  aim  at  their  Good,  when  he  drown 
ed  the  old  World  and  burnt  Sodom.  And  certainly,  he  can 
not  aim  at  Sinners  Good  in  their  eternal  Damnation.  There 
are  fome  Calamities  in  this  Life,  which  God  might  be  fup- 
pofed  to  fend  upon  his  Creatures  for  their  Good  •,  and  in 
deed,  all  Things  confidered,  they  are  well  adapted  to  do 
them  Good  ;  yea,  and  are  all  mad£  to  work  together  for 
Good  to  them  that  love  God,  and  may  be  numbred  among 
their  Mercies.  But  what  fhall  we  fay,  when  God  drowns 
a  whole  World,  burns  up  feveral  Cities,  and  damns  to  all 
Eternity  Millions  of  his  Creatures  :  Yea,  and  all  for  no 
thing,  when  they  deferved  no  111  at  his  Hands,  not  the 

leaft! 

*  OBJ.  "  But  are  we  not,  according  to  their  Scheme,  under  Obligations 
"  refulting  from  the  Authority  and  Command  of  God  ?" 

Atfsw.  We  are,  according  to  their  Scheme,  under  no  Obligations  to  re 
gard  the  Authority  and  Command  of  God  at  all  ;  only,  and  merely, 
and  purely,  becaufe  it  is  for  our  Intereft  fo  to  do.  As  themfelves  ac 
knowledge. 

OBJ.  *  But  are  we  not,  according  to  them  obliged,  to  have  regard  to  our 
Neighbours  Welfare  ?" 

Ays.  Only,  merely,  purely  becaufe  it  is  for  our  own  Intereft  to  do  fo. 
For  according  to  them,  all  our  Obligations  to  praftife  any  Virtue,  arife 
originally  only  from  it's  being  for  our  own  Intereft.  The  Language 
of  fuch  a  Practice  plajnly  is,  that  there  is  not  one  Being  in  the  whoje 
Syflem  worth  regarding  but  my  felf ;  /  am,  and  befides  me,  there  is  no 
vtker  !  I  will  regard  none,  but  juft  to  anfwer  my  own  Ends  :  And  fo 
really  and  ftriftly,  regard  none,  but  my  felf.  This  is  a  Religion  that 
\viil  fuit  Nature  ;  and  in  this  Scnfe  may  juftly  be  called  natural  Rf I i- 


and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  217 

leaft  !     Where  is  his  Juflice  now  /    Yea,  Where  is  his  Good- 
nefs  !  Or  what  does  he  mean  !  What  does  he  intend ! 

Certainly,  He  cannot  intend  to  deal  fo  feverely  with  fome 
of  his  poor  Creatures,  who  never  deferved  any  111  at  his 
Hands,  merely  for  the  Good  of  others,  to  fright  and  warn 
and  deter  them  from  Vice.  For  this  would  be  to  do  Evil, 
that  Good  might  come  :  Yea,  this  would  be  the  Way  rather 
that  Good  might  never  come.  For  how  could  any  of  his 
Creatures  or  Subjects,  heartily  love  him  or  like  his  Con- 
duel,  while  they  behold  Millions  of  their  Fellow-Creatures 
fuffering,  for  nothing  at  all,  fuch  infinite  Pains,  under  his 
Hands  !  Where  is  his  Juftice  ?  would  they  all  cry  :  And 
where  is  his  Goodnefs  ?  They  "would  hate  him,  and  flee 
from  him,  and  dread  a  Government  fo  infinitely  tyrannical. 
Indeed,  to  inflict  a  proper  Punifhment,  in  Cafe  of  juft 
Defert,  is  a  good  Thing,  tends  to  maintain  Government, 
and  make  Men  afraid  of  Sin,  and  {land  in  Awe  of  the 
great.  Lawgiver  and  Judge  of  the  World.  Yea,  'tis  a 
beautiful  Conduct,  and  tends  to  make  God  appear  amiable 
in  the  Eyes  of  all  holy  Beings.  Rev.  19.  i, — 6.  But  to 
afflict  and  torment  poor  Creatures,  who  do  not  at  all  de- 
ferve  it,  and  that  for  ever,  cannot  poiTibly  anfwer  any 
good  End  •,  but,  of  Neceflity,  muft  promote  a  Thoufand 
bad  ones,  when  all  the  Time  the  true  State  of  the  Cafe  is 
publickly  known  and  underftood  throughout  all  God's 
Dominions.  It  is  juft  as  if  a  Father,  who  has  tenChildren, 
fhould  hang  up  five  every  Monday-Morning,  and  whip 
them  almoft  to  Death,  for  nothing  in  the  World,  but  to 
make  the  reft  love  him,  and  be  good  and  obedient  Chil 
dren.  And  would  they  love  him  e'er  the  more  for  this  ? 
Yea,  they  could  not  JDUt  hate  fo  cruel  aTyrant.  Now, there 
fore,  if  their  Scheme  be  true,  why  did  God  drown  the  old 
World)  and  burn  Sodom  ?  And  why  does  he  damn  Sinners 
to  all  Eternity  ? 

Yea,  if  Sin  deferves  no  inflicted  Punifhment,  as  upon 
their  Scheme  it  does  not  •>  why  does  God  ever  once  inflict 
the  leaft,the  very  leaft  Punifhment  for  it,  in  all  hisDomini- 
ons  ?  And  that,  which  tho*  not  in  its  own  Nature  more 
unaccountable,  yet  is  more  furprizing ;  why  has  God,  all 
along,  from  the  beginning  of  the  World,  been  inflicting 

fuch 


2l8        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

foch  a  dreadful  Train  of  Punifhments  for  Sin  ?  Why  did 
God  turn  the  Angels  out  of  Heaven  for  their  firft  Sin,  and 
doom  them  to  an  eternal  Hell  ?  when  they  did  not  at  all 
deferve  it.  Why  did  God  threaten  Adam  with  Death  in 
Cafe  of  Difobedience  ?  Why  is  Death  faid  to  be  the  Wa 
ges  of  Sin  ?  Why  did  God  caufe  the  Earth  to  open  and 
fwallow  up  Korah  and  his  Company  ?  Why  did  God  caufe 
the  Carcafes  of  fix  Hundred  Thoufand  to  fail  in  the  Wil- 
dernefs  ?  Why  did  God  ftrike  Uzza  dead  ?  And  why  a 
Thoufand  more  Things,  which  have  happened  in  the  Sight 
of  the  World  ?  Surely,it  can't  be  for  our  Good,  to  be  ftruck 
dead  and  fent  to  Hell.  And  furely,  it  can't  be  for  the 
Good  of  any  in  all  God's  Wt>rld,  that  mall  fee  or  ever  hear 
of  it  :  when,  all  the  while  it  is  publickly  known,  that 
we  deferve  no  111  at  God's  Hands.  No,  not  the  leaft. 

And  now  after  all,  to  torment  us  in  Hell  for  ever,  for 
nothing  in  the  World,  where  the  Firejball  never  be  quenched^ 
and  the  Worm  jhall  never*  die  *,  yea,  and  to  appoint  a  Day 
of  Judgment,  under  a  Pretence  of  doing  nothing  but  ftricl: 
Juftice  ;  and  to  fummon  all  Worlds  together,  to  fee  and 
hear,  to  the  End  that  his  Impartiality  and  Juitice  might 
appear  to  all  :  When,  all  the  while,  he  knows,  and  all  the 
World  knows,  that  his  poor  Creatures  deferve  no  111  at  his 
Hands  :  No,  not  the  leaft  !  What  can  he  mean  ? 

Yea,  and  that  which  is  a  great  deal  worfe  than  all,  that  I 
even  fhudder  to  think  of  it  •,  he  not  only  makes  a  La\r,  to 
punifh  Sinners  eternally  in  Hell,  when  there  was  noGroundg 
for  it,  and  puts  it  in  Execution  upon  his  poor  Creatures 
who  do  not  deferve  it  :  But,  having  one  only  Son,  of 
equal  Glory  with  himfelf,  he  delivers  him  to  Death,  in  the 
Room  and  Stead  of  Sinners  ^  pretending  that  Sin  was  fo 
bad  a  Thing,  that  without  the /bedding  of^Blood  there  could 
be  no  Remiffion,  and  therefore  his  own  Son  muft  die,  to  the 
End  he  might  be  juft,  while  hejuftified  the  Sinner  that  Jhould 
believe  in  him  :  While,  all  the  Time,  if  their  Scheme  is  true, 
he  knew,  and  all  the  World  will  know,  fooner  or  later,  that 
Sin  never  deferved  the  leaft  Punimment  at  his  Hands  ! 

To  conclude,  therefore,  If  God  be  what  they  fuppofe, 
I  grant,  the  Scheme  I  have  laid  down  is  not  right,  And  it 
is  equally  evident,  that  the  gfrlc ,is  not  right;  neither.  For 

the 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  219 


the  Law  and  the  Gofpel*  the  old  Teftament  and  the 
where  fuppofe,  and  take  it  for  granted,  that  Sin  is  an  in 
finite  Evil,  deferves  the  Wrath  and  Curfe  of  God,  all  the 
Miferies  of  this  Life,  and  Death  it  felf,  and  the  Pains  of 
Hell  for  ever.  The  Law  threatens  all  this.  According  to 
the  Gofpel*  Chrift  has  died  to  redeem  us  from  all  this,  as 
what  we  juftly  deferve.  The  Bible  therefore,  in  a  Word, 
fuppofes  we  deferve  it  all  ;  but  their  Scheme  fuppofes  we  do 
not.  The  God  that  made  the  Bible*  has  no  Doubt  of  it  ; 
he  made  his  Law  upon  this  Ground,  and  upon  this  Foot 
he  gave  his  Son  to  die,  has  appointed  a  Day  of  Judgment, 
and  prepared  a  Place  of  Torment,  a  Lake  of  Fire  and  Brim- 
flone  :  But  their  God  is  of  quite  another  Mind,  can  fee  no 
fuch  infinite  Evil  in  Sin  •,  yea,  no  Evil  at  all  in  it,  but  what 
refults  from  it's  Tendency  to  make  us  miferable.  Their  God 
therefore,  is  not  the  God  of  Ifrael*  rior  the  God  that  made  the 
Bible  ;  and  therefore  is  no  God*  is  nothing  but  an  Image 
framed  in  their  own  Fancy,  fuited  to  their  own  Hearts. 

Befides,their  Idea  of  God  is  contrary,not  only  thus  to  the 
general  Tenour  of  Scripture,  but  alfo  to  many  plain  and 
exprels  Declarations,  (i.)  'Tis  manifeft,that  God  does  not 
make  the  Happinefs  of  his  Creatures  his  loft  End*  from 
Exod.  9.  1  6.  Num.  14.  13  —  21.  Lev.  10.  3.  Pfal.  106. 
8.  Ezik.  20.  throughout.  Ezek.  36.  21,22,23.  and  38.  23. 
and  39.  6,  7,  13,  21,  22.  Rom.  9.  22,  23.  Rom.  n.  36. 
Rev.  4.1  1.  —  (2.)  'Tis  manifeft,  that  God  does  not  require 
his  Creatures  to  love  and  obey  him  merely  becaufe  it  tends 
to  make  them  happy  fo  to  do,  from  Exod.  20.  2.  Lev.  19. 
2.  Pfal.  29.  2.  and  96.  4,  8.  and  148.  13.  i  Cor.  6.  20. 
'(3.)  'Tis  manifeft,  that  God  does  not  threaten  and  punifh 
Sin  merely  becaufe  it  tends  to  make  his  Creatures  miferable, 
from  i  Sam.  2.  29,  30.  2  Sam.  12.  7  —  14.  Pfal.  51.  4. 
Mai.  i.  6,  7,  8,  14. 

But  to  conclude.  —  Htow  fad  and  dreadful  a  Thing  will  it 
be,  for  poor  Sinners,  when  they  come  to  die,  and  enter  into 
the  World  of  Spirits,  there  to  find  that  the  God  they  once 
loved  and  trufted  in,  was  nothing  but  an  Image  framed  in 
their  own  Fancy  !  They  hated  the  God  of  Ifrael  >  and  hated 
his  Law*  and  therefore  would  not  believe  that  God  or  his 
Law  were  indeed  what  they  were.  They  were  refolved  to 

have 


22O         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

have  a  God  and  a  Law  more  to  their  Minds.  How  dread 
ful  will  their  Difappointment  be !  How  dreadful  their 
furprife !  They  would  never  own  they  were  Enemies  to 
God  5  now  they  fee  their  Enmity  was  fo  great,  as  to  make 
them  refolutely,  notwithftanding  the  plaineft  Evidence, 
even  to  deny  him  to  be  what  he  was.  And  how 
righteous  will  the  Ways  of  the  Lord  appear  to  be,  in  that 
hegavefuch  over  to  ftrong  Delufions  to  believe  a  Lie, 
who  did  not  love,  and  would  not  believe,  the  Truth  \  but 
had  Pleafure  inUnrighteoufnefs  ?  %  Thef.  2.10,11,  12.  So 
the  Gentile  Nations  not  liking  to  retain  God  in  their  Know* 
ledge,  were  given  over  to  reprobate  Minds,  and  left,  every 
Nation,  to  make  fuch  a  God^  as  belt  pleafcd  themfelves, 
Rom.  i. — •. —  But  it  is  Time  to  proceed  to  ithe  nextUfe. 

S  E  -c  T  i  o  N     VI. 

Rules  of  Trial, 

USE  II.  Which  may  be  of  Examination,  What  has 
been  faid  may  ferve  to  clear  up  to  real  Saints  their  gracious 
State,  and  may  afford  Matter  of  Conviction  to  others. 

And  here  I  would  take  the  humble  Jkliever  in  his  Ele 
ment,  that  is,  in  his  Clofet,  where  he  retires  from  theNoife 
and  Bufmefs  of  the  World,  where  he  Ipves  to  be  alone,  tp 
rea .1  the  Bible,  to  meditate  on  the  Perfections  of  God,  and 
think  of  his  Works  and  Ways,  where  he  mourns  and  prays 
and  loves  God  and  gives  up  himfelf  to  him.—^  In  a  ferious 
Hour  of  fweet  Retirement,  when  you  are  moft  your  felf,  and 
your  Thoughts  moil  about  you,  I  would  enquire,  What  are 
your  Views  ?  And  what  is  the  inward  'Temper  of  your  Mind  ? 
And  hew  do  you  live  ?  And  what  is  it  that  habitually  influen? 
cesyou  in  your  daily  Conduft  ? 

Do  you  know  God  ?  Do  you  lee  him  to  be  fuch  a  one 
as  he  really  is  ?  Even  fuch  a  one  as  the  Scriptures  reprefent 
him  to  be  ?  And  do  you  account  him-  infinitely  glorious 
and  amiable  in  being  fuch  a  one  ?  And  do  you  begin  to 
love  him  with  all  your  Heart  ?  Do  you  efteem  him  fo,  as 
to  exult  in  his  Supremacy  and  abfolute  Sovereignty  ? 
And  fo  will  his  Glory  an4  value  his  Honour  and  Intereft, 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   221 

as  to  give  up  your  felf  to  live  to  him  ?  And  fo  delight  in 
him,  as  to  choofe  him  for  your  prefent  and  everlaftingPor- 

tion  ? True,  your  remaining  Biindnefs  and  Ignorance  is 

very  great  :  but  do  you  not  feel  it,  and  groan  under  it  as 
your  Burden^and  hate  your  felf  for  it  as  yourSin,  lamenting 
the  Sottifhnefs  of  your  Heart,  that  you  mould  be  fofenfe- 
lefs  and  brutifh,  after  fo  many  outward  Advantages  and  in 
ward  Helps,  and  amidft  fuch  clear  Manifeftations  made  of 
God  and  of  his  infinite  Glory  in  his  Word  and  in  all  his 
Works  and  Ways  -,  and  feel  that  you  are  wholly  to  Blame 
for  the  Stupidity  and  Unteachablenefs  of  your  Heart,ready 
to  fay  with  him  of  old,  So  foolijb  am  I  and  ignorant^  I  am  as 
a  BeasJ  before  thee  ?  Pfal.  73.  22.  Your  Difefteem  of  God, 
andUnconcernednefs  about  hisHonour  and  Intereft,is  great, 
and  you  have  Hill  a  Difpofition  to  hate  to  live  upon  God 
only, without  any  Thing  elfe  to  takeComfort  in,  as  thePor- 
tion  of  your  Soul  •,  and  fo  you  are  inclined  .to  forget  God, 
to  forfake  him,  to  depart  and  go  away  and  fall  inLove  with 
fomething  elfe,  and  feek  another  reiting  Place,  and  fome- 
thing  elfe  to  take  Comfort  in  :  But  do  you  not  feel  this 
your  remaining  Want  of  Conformity  to  God's  Law,  and 
native  Contrariety  to  it  ?  And  do  you  not  hate  it,  and  hate 
your  felf  for  it  ?  Do  you  not  groan  under  it,  and  lament  it, 
and  watch  and  pray  and  fight  againft  it,  feeling  the  infinite 
Sinfulnefs  of  it  ?  Saying,  T'he  Law  is  bcly9  juft  and  good  ; 
hit  I  am  carnal  fold  under  Sin  : —  0  wretched  Man  that  I  am  ! 
Rom.  7.  14,  24. 

And  what  are  the  Grounds  of  your  Love  to  God,  and 
from  whatMotives  is  it  that  you  are  influenced  to  love  him? 
Does  God  indeed  appear  infinitely  great,glorious,  and  ami 
able  in  being  what  he  is  ?  And  do  you  love  him  becaufe  he 
is  juft  fuch  a  one  ?  Do  you  love  to  meditate  his  incompre- 
henfibly  glorious  Perfections,  and  wonder  and  adore  ?  Are 
you  glad; that  he  knows  allThings,  and  can  do  everyThing? 
Are  the  various  Manifeftations  of  divine  Wifdom,  in  the 
moral  Government  of  the  World,  glorious  in  your  Eyes  ? 
Does  it  fuit  your  Heart,  that  God  governs  the  World  as  he 
does  ?  Do  you  love,that  thePride  of  allFlefh  mould  bebro't 
low,  and  the  Lord  alone  be  exalted  ?  Are  you  glad,  that 
God  lovcsRighteoufnefs  and  hates  Iniquity  as  he  does ;  and 

do 


222          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

do  you  heartily  approve  the  Stri&nefs  of  his  Law  in  the 
Matter  of  your  Duty,  and  the  Severity  thereof  againft  the 
leaftSin  ?  And  are  you  fweetly  it-nfible  of  the  infiniteGood- 
nefs  of  God,  and  of  his  Truth  and  Faithfulneis  ?  And  does 
God  appear  infinitely  Glorious  becaufe  he  is  ju'ft  what  he  is  ? 
And  is  this  the  primary  Foundation  of  your  Love  ?  In  a 
Word,  do  you  fee  him  as  the  great  Creator,  Preferver  and 
Governour  of  the  World,  as  the  Redeemer,  Sanctifier  and 
Saviour  of  hisPeople,  as  he  has  thus  revealed  himfelf  by  his 
Word  and  in  his  Works,  and  do  you  love  him  for  being 
what  he  is  ?  And  do  you  alfo  feel  the  powerful  Influence  of 
thofe  fuperadded  Obligations  you  are  under  to  love  him  ? 
In  other  Cafes,  when  we  love  any  Thing,  we  know  why  we 
love  it  :  So  alfo  do  Believers  know  why  they  love  theLord 
their  God. 

And  does  it  not  appear  to  you  infinitely  reasonable,  that 
you  fhould  love  God  with  all  your  Heart,  that  you  fhould 
be  wholly  his,  and  wholly  for  him, and  make  him  your  All, 
while  you  behold  his  infinite  Glory,  his  compleat  Alfuffi- 
ciency,  his  original,  entire  Right  to  you,  and  abfolute  Au 
thority  over  you  ?  And  does  not  his  Law  in  requiring  you 
to  do  fo,  appear  to  be  infinitely  right,  perfectly  holy,  juft 
and  good,  worthy  to  Hand  in  full  Force  for  ever,  unabated 
and  unaltered  ?  And  do  you  not  fee,  that  the  lead  Want  of 
Conformity  to  this  Law,  or  Tranfgreflion  of  it,  is  infinitely 
Vile,  and  that  a  perfect  Conformity  thereto  deferves  no 
Thanks  :  And  do  you  not  feel  your  felf  wholly  to  Blame 
for  your  not  being  altogether  fuch  as  the  Law  requires  ? 
Hypocrites  are  generally  very  ignorant  of  the  Law,  in  it's 
true  Meaning  and  Strictnefs  ;  and  fo  are  ignorant  of  their 
Want  of  Conformity  unto  it,  and  of  their  inward  Contrari 
ety  to  it.  Rom.  7.  8,9.  For  otherwife  all  Hypocrites  would 
know  certainly  that  they  have  no  Grace.  But  yet  Hypo 
crites,  at  leaft  many  of  them,  know  fomething  about  the 
Law  and  their  Want  of  Conformity  to  it,  and  fomething  a- 
bout  their  inward  Contrariety  to  it  ;  and  hence  may  com 
plain  of  the  Blindnefs  of  their  Minds,°the  Deadnefs  of  their 
Hearts,  and  of  their  Pride  and  Worldlinefs  :  But  no  Hy 
pocrite  is  heartily  fenfiblethat  the  Law  is  holy,juft,  &  good 
in  requiring  Perfection  j  and  that  he  himfelf  is  entirely  to 

Blame 


and  dijlinguifoed  from  all  Counterfeits.   223 

Blame  for  not  being  perfectly  holy,  and  that  the  Fault  is 
wholly  his.  Some  will  fay,  "  I  defire  to  love  God,  and  to 
"  aim  at  hisGlory,  and  do  myDuty  :  but  no  Man  is,  or  can 
"  be  perfect :  And  God  does  net  require  more  of  us  than 
"  we  can  do."  And  fo  they  think  themfelves  excufable,and 
are  not  fenfible  that  it  is  infinitely  vile  in  them  not  to  love 

God  with  all  their  Hearts. Others  will  fay,  "  I  can  do 

"  Nothing  of  my  ielf  :  it  is  Chrift  that  muft  do  all.  I  defire 
"  to  love  God  •,  but  I  can't.  It  is  the  Spirit  that  muft 
"  fill  my  Heart  with  Love,  and  God  is  the  fovereign  Dif- 
"  penfer  of  his  Grace  ;  fo  that  if  I  am  dead  and  dull  and 
"  fenlelefs  and  ftupid,  I  can't  help  it."  And  fo  they  alfo 
think  themfelves  excufable,.  and  are  not  fenfible  that  it  is 
infinitely  vile  in  them  not  to  love  God  with  all  theirHeart?. — 
But  now,  how  Hands  the  Cafe  with  you  ?  Have  you  any 
fecret  Way  of  excufing  your  felf  ?  Or  do  you  fee  that  the 
Law  is  holy  juft  and  good,  and  that  you  only  are  to  Blame, 
wholly  to  Blame,  and  altogether  without  Excufe  ;  yea,  and 
exceeding  Vile,  for  all  your  Blindnefs  and  Deadnefs,and  for 
every  Thing  wherein  you  are  not  j  nil  what  theLaw  requires 
you  to  be  ?  'Tis  this  which  makes  Believers  fenfible  of 
their  Defert  of  Damnation,  all  their  Lives  long,  and  loath 
and  abhor  themfelves  before  the  Lord.  And  'tis  this  which 
caufes  them  more  and  more  to  fee  their  Need  of  Chrift  and 
free  Grace,  and  admire  and  prize  the  glorious  Gofpel.  O 
wretched  Man  that  1  am  !  Who  jhall  deliver  me  ?  —  I  thank 
God  thro9  Jefus  Chrift  our  Lord. Rom.  7.  24,  25. 

And  do  you  begin  to  be  of  a  Difpofition  really  to  love 
your  Neighbour  as  y  cur  Self?  Be  your  Affedions  under 
the  Government  of  a  Spirit  of  difmterefted  Impartiality,  fo 
that  you  are  difpofed  to  value  your  felf  only  for  thofe  Pro 
perties  in  you  that  are  good  and  excellent,  and  only  in  Pro 
portion  to  their  Worth  and  Excellency  ;  and  by  this  Rule 
to  efteem  your  Neighbours,  your  Friends,  and  your  Foes, 
and  all  Men  ?  And  do  you  hate  a  contrary  Difpofition  in 
you  ?  And  is  your  Heart  full  of  Love  and  Kindnefs  and 
Benevolence,  wifhing  well  to  all,  feeking  the  Good  ofall, 
-and  even  grieved  when  your  Enemies  are  in  Adverfity  ? 

And  to  conclude,  Does  Love  toGodandtoyourNeigh- 
bour  govern  you  in  your  Thoughts,  AfFedions-  and  Actions,, 

and 


224          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

and  daily  influence  you  to  live  to  God,  and  do  Good  in  the 
World  •,  fo  that  now  you  are  not  your  own,  but  given  up 
to  God  to  do  his  Will,  feeking  his  Glory  ? —  A  holy  Lite 
does  as  naturally  proceed  from  a  holy  Heart,  as  a  Stream 
does  from  a  living  Fountain. 

Once  you  was  Darknefs :  But  are  you  now  Light  in  the 
Lord  ?  Once,as  to  right  fpiritual Views  of  God,yourNeigh- 
bour,  or  your  felf,  of  thisWorld  or  the  next,  you  had  none  •, 
you  was  blind,   your  Underilanding  was  darkened  ;  and  fo 
your  Apprehenfions   were  wrong,  and   you  loved  your 
wrong  Apprehenfions,  &  took  Pleafure  in  Error,  Falfhood 
and  Sin,  and  hated  the  Light,  hated  Truth  and  Duty : 
once  you  was  wholly  devoid  of  the  divine  Image,and  defti- 
tute  of  all  Good  •,  yea,  and  you  was  wholly  averle  to  God, 
and  full  of  all  Evil.     And  did  you  ever  fee  and  feel  this  to 
be  your  State  ?    and  have  you  by  divine  Grace  been   reco 
vered  out  of  it  ? — Have  you  been  effectually  taught,  that 
your  Light  was  Darknefs,  and  your  Knowledge  Ignorance, 
and  been  made  fenfible  of  theBlindnefs  of  yourMind  ?  And 
have  you  learnt,  that  all  your  feeming  Goodnefs  wasCoun- 
terfeit  ?  and  that  in  you  did  dwell  no  good  Thing  ?  Yea, 
that  your  feeming   Goodnefs  was   real  Wicked nefs,     in 
that  your  Heart  was  in  perfect  Contrariety  to  God  and  his 
Law  ?     Has  divine  Light  Ihined  in  your  Heart,  and  your 
native  Darknefs,  as  well  as  contracted  Blindnefs,  been  dif- 
pelled  from  your  Soul j  fo  that  now  your  Views  of  God,  of 
your  Neighbour  and  your  Self,  of  this  World  and  the  next, 
are  right,  and  your  Apprehenfions    according  to   Truth, 
and  has  the  Truth  made  you  free  ?     Do   you  now   look 
upon  God,  in  fomeMeafure  according  to  the  Capacity  of  a 
Creature,  as  he  does  upon  himfelf,  when  he  takes  upon  him 
the  Character  of  moft  high  GOD,  fupreme  LORD,   and 
fovereign  GOVERNOUR  of  the  whole  World,  and  fays, 
/  am  tlce  Lord,  that  is  my  Name^  and  befides  me  then  is  no 
ether  Gcd  ?    And   do   you  fee   it  is  infinitely  fit  that  all 
the  World  Ihould  love,  worfhip  and  adore  him  ?    Do  you 
now  look  upon  your  Neighbours,  in  fome  Meafure  as  God 
does,  when  he  commands  you  to  love  them  as  your  felf; 
and  fo  fee  that  it  is  perfectly  right  that  you  fhouid"?     And 
do  you  look  upon  your  felf  and  every  Thing  in  .thisWorld, 

in 


and  'diftmguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   225 

in  fome  Meafure  as  God  does,  when  he  commands  you  to 
deny  your  felf,  and  fcrfake  all  Things  for  his  Sake  ;  and 
fee  that  it  is  moft  fit  and  reafonable  to  die  to  your  felf  and 
to  this  World,  and  give  up  your  felf  to  God,  to  love  him 
and  live  to  him,  and  delight  in  him  for  ever  ?  And  do  you 
underftand,  that  the  Things  which  are  feen  are  temporal, 
and  that  the  Things  which  are  unfeen  are  eternal  ? 
And  do  all  poffible  Troubles  in  the  Ways  of  God,  in  fome 
Meafure,  appear  only  as  light  Afflictions,  which  ar€  but 
for  a  Moment,  and  not  worthy  to  be  compared  with  the 
Glory  that  fhaJl  be  revealed  ?  Do  you  thus  know  the 
Truth,  and  has  the  Truth  made  you  free  from  your  old 
Servitude  •,  arid  are  you  effectually  influenced  and  govern 
ed  by  thefe  Views  and  Apprehenfions,  and  this  Senfe  of 
Things,  to  bring  forth  Fruit  to  God,  an  hundred-fold,  or 
fixty-lbld,or  at  leaft  thirty-fold  ?  For  divineKnowledge  is 
efficacious,  and  the  holy  and  divine  Effects  and  Fruits  are 
always  equal  to  the  Degree  of  Knowledge  •,  (i  Job.  3.  6.) 
And  every  Branch  which  bringetb  not  forth  Fruit,  is  cut  off 
and  caft  into  theFire.  Are  you  thus  born  again,and  become 
a  new  Creature,  and  learnt  to  live  a  new  and  divine  Life  ? 

And  is  it  not  now  moft  manifeft  to  you,  that  all  this  is 
fo  far  from  having  been  the  Product  of  Nature,  that  all  that 
is  in  Nature,  every  natural  Propenfity  of  the  Heart,  has 
irorn  firft  to  laft  been  utterly  againft  the  Change,  and  made 
a  conftant  and  mighty  Refiftance  ?  And  do  you  not  plainly 
perceive,  that,  from  nrft  to  laft,  the  Work  has  been  begun 
and  carried  on  by  God  himfelf  ? 

And  does  it  not  appear  to  you,  as  the  moft  aftoniming 
Goodnefs  in  God,  and  owing  to  nothing  but  his  fovereign 
free  Grace,  that  you  have  tKus  been  called  out  of  Darknefs 
intomarvellous'Light,  turned  from  thePower  of  Sin  &  Satan 
to  ferve  the  living  God  ?  And  do  you  not  plainly  fee,  there 
is  nothing  but  the  fame  infinite  Goodnefs  and  free  Grace 
to  move  God  to  carry  on  and  compleat  this  Work  in  your 
Heart,  and  that  fo,  if  ever  you  get  to  Heaven, the  whole  of 
your  Salvation,  from  firft  to  laft,  will  be  abfolutely  and 
entirely  to  be  attributed  to  free  Grace  ?  And  have  you 
not  hence  learnt  to  live  upon  free  Grace  thro'  Jefus  Chrift 
for  all  Things  ? 

And 


226         7 rue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

And  do  you  not  perccive,that  he,who  has  begun*  does  ac 
tually  carry  on  the  Work  of  Grace  iny  ourHearts  ?  And  that 
all  the  external  Difpenfaticns  of  Providence  and  internal 
Influences  of  the  Spirit  concur  in  their  Operation,  to  hum 
ble  you  and  wean  you  from  the  World  and  imbitter  Sin, 
to  bring  you  nearer  to  God  and  to  love  him  arid  to  live  to 
him  and  to  live  upon  him,  and  to  make  you  more  ferious, 
morefpiritually-minded  and  heavenly- minded, more  watch 
ful  and  prayerful,  and  more  loving  and  kind  and  tender 
hearted  and  obliging  to  all  Mankind,  both  Friends  and 
Foes  ;  and  to  make  you  daily  attend  upon  the  Duties  of 
your  particular  Calling,  and  upon  all  the  common  Bufmefs 
of  Life,  as  a  Servant  of  God,  in  Singlenefs  of  Heart,  doing 
Service  to  the  Lord  ? 

And  aitho'  you  was  once  dead  in  Sin  and  wholly  without 
Strength,  yet  do  you  not  now  feel  that  you  are  Spiritually 
alive,  and  fo  put  into  a  Capacity  for  a  fpiritual  Activity, 
and  that  you  are  engaged  to  be  active  for  God  ?  Not  that 
your  Sufficiency  is  of  your  fe/f9  as  once  you  thought  it  was  : 
For  you  are  net  fufficient  of  your  felf,  as  of  your  felf\  but  your 
Sufficiency  is  of  God.  Yet  do  you  not  find  that  thro*  Chrift 
Jirengthning  of  you,  you  can  dot  all  things  ?  And  do  you -not 
from  the  Heart  hate  the  Way  of  lazy,  dead-hearted  Hy 
pocrites,  who  fit  ftill  and  careleily  cry,  "  We  can  do  no- 
"  thing,  'tis'  Chriil  that  muft  do  all,"  and  under  a  Notion 
of  not  doing  any  Thing  in  their  own  Strength,  gratify  their 
Lazinefs,  and  do  nothing  at  alll !  AccurfedLazinefs  !  Ac- 
curfed  Hypocrify  !  Do  you  not  feel,  I  fay,  that  you  are 
put  into  a  Capacity  for  fpiritual  Activity  ?  And  are  you 
not  engaged  to  be  active  for  Qod  ?  For  you  are  bis  Work- 
wan/hip, created  in  Chrijljefus  unto  goodWcrks,\h.i&  you  might 
walk  in  them.  While  the  Spirit  of  God  is  taking  down 
the  Power  of  Sin  in  your  Heart,  and  flaying  your  Cor 
ruptions  ;  are  you  not  alfo  crucifying  the  Fkjh  with  the  Af- 
ftttions  and  Lufts  ?  While  God  is  working  in  you  to  will 
find  to  do,  are  you  not  working  cut  your  Salvation  with  fear 
find  trembling,  with  filial  Fear  and  holy  Concern  ?  While 
the  Spirit  of  God  gives  you  Might  in  the  inner  Man,  do  ndt 
you  put  on  the  whole  Armour  of  God,  and  fight  with  Flejh  and 
Blood,  with  Principalities  and  Powers  ?  This  is  the  Way  of 

Believers. 


and  diftinguifhed  from  all  Counterfeits  227 

Believers.  And  the  Spirit  does  not  come  upon  them  by 
Fits,  as  it  did  upon  Balaam  ;  but  dwells  in  them  and  abides 
in  them  for  ever  -9  to  purify  them  from  all  Iniquity ,  and  make 
them  a  peculiar  People^  zealous  cf  good  Works. 

Finally,  Do  you  not  experience  that  your  Religion  is 
fomething  real  and  perceptible,  and  fee  that  it  is  fpecifically 
different  from  any  Thing  that  poffibly  can  arile  merely 
from  a  Principle  of  Self-love  ?  You  perceive  your  Views 
of  God,  and  Senfe  of  his  Greatnefs,  Glory  and  Beauty  ; 
and  you  perceive  your  Senfe  of  the  World's  Emptinefs,and 
of  your  own  natural  Vilenefs  and  Wretchednefs  ;  and  your 
Love  to  God,  your  Weanednefs  from  the  World,  and  your 
Mourning  for  Sin  are  perceptible.  And  is  it  not  eafy  to 
perceive  why  you  love  God,  are  weaned  from  the  World, 
and  mourn  for  Sin  \  namely,  becaufe  God  is  infinitely 
lovely,  the  World  empty  and  worthlefs,  and  Sin  the  greateil 
Evil  ?  And  while  thefe  Views  and  Affections  effectually 
influence  you  to  all  holy  living,  their  Genuineness  is  made 
ftill  more  evident  and  plain.  And,  from  the  whole,  you 
arife  to  a  rational  and  fcriptural  Knowledge  of  your  gra* 
cious  State. 

From  what  has  been  faid  upon  this  Subject,  a  great  Va 
riety  of  other  Queftions  might  be  put  to  the  Believer  •,  but 
the  whole  has  been  treated  fo  plainly  and  practically,  that 
I  need  add  no  more.  And  if  gracelefs  Perfons,  had  it  in 
their  Hearts  to  be  honeft  and  impartial,  they  might  eafily 
know,  that  they  are  Strangers  to  real  Religion.  But  if 
they  have  not  the  Thing  itfelf,  they  will  either  work  up 
fomething  like  it,  or  elfe  deny  that  there  is  any  fuchThing  : 
for  be  that  doth  Evil^hateth  the  Light  $  and  fodoes  he  who 
has  a  rotten  Heart.  And  hence  fome  cry,  "  The  beft  have 
"  their  Failings"  ;  and  they  watch  and  catch  at  the  Fail 
ings  of  fuch  as  are  accounted  godly,  and  dwell  upon  them, 
and  magnify  them  j  and  fo  quiet  their  Confciences,  and  go 
©n  in  their  Sins.  Others  cry,  "  The  beft  are  dead  fome- 
times"  •,  and  fo  maintain  their  Hopes,  altho*  they  lie  dead, 
whole  Months  and  Years  together,  and  live  in  Sin,  and 
never  come  to  found  Repentance.  Others  cry,  "  You 
will  difcourage  weak  Chriftians ;  "  meaning  themfelves. 
Juft  as  if  there  were  a  Sort  of  Chriftians  that  cannot  bear 

O  2  the 


228       True  Religion  delineated         D  i  s .  I. 

the  Light,  nor  fland  a  fcriptural  Trial.     What  will  they 
do,  when  they  come  before  the  awful  Bar  of  the  Heart- 
fearching  God !  Others  cry,  "  But   every  Chriftian  docs 
not  experience  alike  ;"  and  fo  tho'  they  are  deftitute  of  the 
very  EiTence  ancj  Life  of  Religion,  yet  they  hope  all  is  well. 
And  many  are  confident  that  thefeThings  are  not  fo,  "  for, 
fay  they.  If  thefeThings  are  true,  who  then  lhall  be  faved  ?  " 
I  anfwer,  Strati  is  the  Gate,   and  narrow   is  the  Way  that 
leads  to  Life  ;    and  few  there  be  that  find,  it :    but  wide  is  the 
Gate,  and  broad  is  the  Way  that  leads  to  Destruction,  and 
many  go  in  thereat.  Mat.  7.  13,  14.    And  mark  what  fol 
lows  in  the  next  Verfe,  ^.  15.    Beware  of  falfe  Prophets, 
which  come  to  you  in  Sheeps-cloathing,   but  inwardly  are  ra 
vening  Wolves.  $.  1 6.  Te  Jball  know  them  by  their  Fruits. — 
By  what  Fruits  ?  Why,  this  is  the  conftant  Character  of 
falfeProphets  throughout  the  Bible,  that  they  cry,  Peace  and 
Safety,  and  heal  the  Wound  of  poor  Sinners  flightily,  and  daub 
with  untempered  Mortar,  i.  e.  They  make  Religion  to  be 
an  eafier  Thing  than  it  is,  more  agreeable  to  corrupt  Na 
ture  ;  and  fo  encourage  Sinners  to  reft  in  fomething  ihort 
of  true  Grace.     So  the  Pharifees  did,  notwithftanding  all 
their  pretended  Strictnefs  •,  and  fo  the  Arminians  do,  not 
withftanding  all  their  feeming  Zeal /or  good  Works  ,  and 
fo  the  Antinomians  do,  notwithftanding  all  their  Pretences 
to  extraordinary  Light  and  Joy  and  Zeal  and  Purity  and 
Holinefs.     And  this  is  the  common  Character  of  all  falfe 
Prophets  and  felfe  Teachers  and  Hereticks,  that,  being 
Enemies  to  true  Religion,  they  cut  out  a  falfe  Scheme  in 
their  Heads,  to  fuit  their  own   Hearts  •,  and  fo,   however 
greatly  they  may  differ   in  many  Things,  yet  herein  all 
agree,  to  make  Religion  an  eafier  Thing  than   the  Bible 
does,  and  to  make  the  Gate  wider  and  the  Way  broader 
than  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles -,  and  by  this  Mark  the  diffe 
rence  between  them  and  the  true  Prophets  may  always  be 
certainly  known.     And  therefore  Chrift  having  juft  faid, 
Straff  is  theGate  and  narrow  the  Way  &c.  immediately  adds, 
Beware  of  falfe  Prophets,  by  their  Fruits  ye  Jh all  know  thetn  5 
for  they  all  invent  fome  eafier  Way  to  Heaven,  tho'  it  may 
be  in'Sheepscloathing,  i.  e.  under  a  Shew  of  great  Striftncfs. 
And  this  their  Invention  being  falfe,  they  are  thus  denomi 
nated 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  229 


Prophets.  And  thus  what  has  been  faid  concern 
ing  the  Nature  of  true  Religion,  may  ferve  to  clear  up  the 
Believer's  gracious  State  \  and  may  afford  Matter  of  Con 
viction  to  others. 

SECTION    VIL 

We  have  great  Reafon  to  be  humble^andthank- 
^  and  live  intirely  devoted  to  GOD. 


USE  III.  Of  Humiliation.  What  has  been  faid  may  be 
improved  by  Sinners  and  Saints  to  promote  their  Humilia 
tion  :  For  by  the  Law  is  the  Knowledge  of  Sin  ;  and  a 
Sight  and  Senfe  of  our  Sinfulnefs,  tends  to  abafe  us  before 
the  Lord. 

In  this  Glafs  of  the  Law,  Sinners  may  fee  what  they  be  in 
Heart  and  Life,  and  by  this  Rule  they  may  learn  how  God 
looks  upon  them.  There  is  a  Knowledge  of  our  felves,  of 
our  Hearts  and  Lives,  that  is  natural  to  us.  Men,  by  their 
Power  of  Self-  reflection,  have  a  Sort  of  an  Acquaintance 
with  themfeives  :  they  know  their  prefent  Views  and  De- 
figns,  their  prefent  Inclinations  and  Way  of  Living  ;  and 
remember,  more  or  lefs,  how  they  have  lived  in  Years  paft. 
But  Men  are  naturally  very  ignorant  of  the  Nature  of  God 
and  of  his  holy  Law  •,  and  fo  are  very  ignorant  of  them 
feives  in  a  moral  Senfe,  are  very  infenfible  how  God  looks 
upon  them,  and  what  their  Hearts  &  Li  es  be,  compared 
with  God  and  his  holy  Law.  Natural  Confcience  has  fome 
Notions  about  Right  and  Wrong,  and  fo  does  fome  thing  to 
wards  accuiing  and  condemning  Men,  efpecially  for  their 
grofler  Sins  •,  but  rfatural  Confcience  is  for  the  mod  Part  fo 
blind  and  fo  much  afleep,  and  in  moft  Men  has  been  fo 
much  abufed  and  brow-beat  and  kept  under,  that  it  lets 
Men  pretty  much  alone.  Men  hold  the  Truth  in  Unrigh- 
teoufnefs,  according  to  the  Apoftle's  Phrafe,  and  keep  their 
Confciences  in  Chains  ;  and  fo  are  in  a  great  Meafure  with 
out  the  Law  •,  and  hence  Sin  is  dead  :  for  where  there  is  noLawy 
there  is  no  fran/greffion  :  and  when  Men  know  not  the  Law 
in  it's  true  Meaning  and  Extent,  they  are  infenfible  how 

they 


230          "True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  I. 

they  fwerve  from  it,  and  how  contrary  they  be  to  it,  and 
how  fmful  Sin  is  :  But  when  the  Commandment  comes ^  Sin 
revives. 

Think  of  this  therefore,  O  Sinner,  that  the  infinitely 
glorious  God,  your  Creator,  Preferver  and  Governour,  de- 
ferves  to  be  loved  and  lived  to  and  delighted  in  with  all 
your  Heart  ;  and  that  this  is  what  he  requires  at  your 
Hands  ;  and  know  it,  he  hates  your  hypocritical  Shews  and 
Pretences,  fo  long  as  that  in  Heart,  he  fees,  you  are  an 
Enemy  to  him.  You  may  pretend,  that  you  can't  help 
your  Hearts  being  fo  bad  ;  but  God  knows,  you  love  your 
Corruptions,  and  hate  to  have  them  (lain,  and  love  to  have 
them  gratified.  You  love  to  be  proud,  and  hence  you 
love  to  be  applauded  :  and  the  Praife  of  Men  is  fweet,and 
of  greater  Price  with  you  than  the  Praife  of  God  ;  you  will 
do  more  to  pleafc  the  World,  than  to  pleafe  God ;  yea,  will 
difpleafe  God,  to  keep  in  with  a  wicked  World,  who  hate 
God  ;  and  God  knows  it.  You  love  to  love  the  World  ; 
and  hence  love  to  lay  worldly  Schemes,  and  are  fecretly 
raviihed  with  worldly  Hopes  when  Things  are  likely  to  go 
well,  and  account  no  Pains  too  great  in  worldly  Purfuits  ; 
but  you  hate  to  pray  in  fecret,  have  no  Heart  for  God,  can 
take  no  Delight  in  him  :  and  God  knows  it.  And  will 
you  now  pretend,  for  your  Excufe,  that  you  can't  help 
your  Heart's  being  fo  bad  •,  whenas  it  is  you  your  felf  that 
are  fo  bad,  and  love  to  be  fo  bad,  and  hate  to  ceafe  to  be 
what  you  are.  If  God  has  by  his  Spirit  awakened  your 
Confcience  a  little  and  terrified  you  with  the  Fears  of  Hell 
and  Wrath,  it  may  be,  your  Corruptions  are  fomewhat 
ftunned,  and  Honour  and  worldly  Gains  dp  not  appear  ib 
tempting,  and  you  are  ready  to  fay,  that:  you  would  willing*- 
ly  part  with  your  Reputation  and  every  Thing  you  have  in 
the  World,  for  an  Intereft  in  Chrift  and  the  divine  Favour ; 
and  now  you  think  you  are  fmcere  :  But  God  knows,  it's 
all  Hypocrify ;  for  he  fees,  you  do  not  care  for  Him,  but 
are  only  afraid  of  Damnation.  And  God  knows,  that  if 
once  you  fhould  get  a  falfe  Confidence  of  Pardon  and  the 
divine  Favour,  you  would  fbon  return  to  Folly,  as  the  Dog 
to  his  Vomit,  and  fet  out  after  the  World  as  eagerly  as 
ever  ;  or  elfe  vent  your  Corruptions  in  fpiritual  Pride,  and 

ih 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   231 

irr  ranting  Enthufiaftick  Wild-fire  and  Party  felfifh  Zeal, 
as  Thousands  have  done,  who  once  felt  juft  as  you  do  now. 
God  therefore  does  not  mind  your  Pretences,   nor   believe 
your  Promifes,  for  he  knows  what  you  arc.     You  may  de 
ceive  your  felf,    but  can't  deceive  him.     He  knows,  your 
Corruptions  arc  dunned,  but  not  mortified  ;  and  that  your 
Nature  is  juft  what  it  was,  and  you,  as  really,  an  Enemy 
to  God  as  ever.     And  it  may  be,  you  may  fee  it  yet,  when 
you  come  to  find  out  how  God  looks  upon  you,  and  upon 
your  Prayers  and  Tears  and  Promifes  -,  -for  it's  commonly 
the  Cafe  with  Sinners,  when  they  perceive  that  God  is  not 
pleafed  with  their  devout  Pretences,  and  does  not  defign  to 
fave  them  for  their  hypocritical  Duties,  by  the  fecret  work 
ings  of  their  Hearts  to  difcover  that  they  care  only  for 
themfelves,   and  are  real  Enemies  to  God  and  his   Law. 
Love  to  God,  O  Sinner,  is  not  begotten  by  the  Fears   of 
Hell,  nor  by  the  Hopes  of  Heaven.     If  you  do  not  love 
God  for  what  he  is  in  himfelf,  you  do  not  love  him  at  all ; 
but  only  flatter  him  with  your  Lips  and  lie  unto  him  with 
your  Tongue.     But  it  may  be  manifeft  to  you,  that  you  do 
not  love  him  for  what  he  is  in  himfelf  -,  becaufe  you  do  not 
love  his  Law  which  bears  his  Image.     You  do  not  like 
the  Law  as  a  Rule  for  you  to  live  by,  for  it  is  too  Uriel:  for 
you.     And  you  do  not  approve  of  the  Law  as  a  Rule  for 
God  to  judge  you  by,  for  you  think  it  hard  for  God  to 
damn  Men  lor  the  leaft  Sin.     Know  it,  therefore,  O  Sin 
ner,  that  there  is  not  any  Good  in  you,  or  any  Goodnefs 
in  your  Duties  ;  but  you  are  in  a  State  of  Rebellion,  an 
Enemy  co  God  and  to  his  holy  Law  :     and  come  down 
and  lie  in  the  Duft  before  the  Lord,  and  own  the  Sentence 
juft  by  which  you  Hand  condemned,   and    be  quiet  at  his 
F  n  •,  and  if  ever  he  faves  you,  for  ever  attribute  it  wholly 
tr     ~e  andfovereign  Grace. — When  the  Commandment  camey 
£- ;  revived*  and  I  died. 

And  fuch  a  one  was  you,  O  Believer ;  and  in  fome 
ICjafure  you  are  fuch  a  one  ftill  ;  and  in  fome  Refpecls 
you,  Sins  are  a  great  deal  more  aggravated.  Oh  never  for- 
§:er  he  Days,  and  Weeks,  and  Months,  and  Years  you 
have  formerly  fpent  in  Sin  !  Once  I  was  a  Perfecutor^  and 
a  Blaffbemer>  and  Injurious^  fays  St,  Paul ;  and  his  Heart 

W 


232          True  Religion  delineated       Drs,  I. 

bleeds  afrefli,  and  he  fets  himfelf  down  for  the  chief  of  Sin*, 
ners.   i  fim.  i.  13,  15. 

But  what  be  you  now,  after  all  the  Grace  of  God,  after 
all  the  kind  Methods  Heaven  has  taken  to  reclaim  you, 
and  what  are  your  Attainments,  if  you  compare  your  Self 
and  Attainments  with  the  holy  Law  of  God  in  it's  ipiritual 
Nature  and  divine  Striclnefs  ?     Do  you  feel  fuch  a  Heart 
towards  the  great  and  glorious   Governour  of  the  whole 
World,  as  becomes  you  ?     Think,  what  a  God  he  is,  and 
how  Angels  and  Saints  on  high  love  him.     Think  of  his 
Majefty  and  Greatnefs  &:  Glory  &  Excellency,  and  how  he 
is  the  Fear  &  Delight  &Joy  of  all  Heaven.    Think  of  his 
original  and  entire  Right  to  you,   and  abfolute  Authority 
over  you.     Think  of  the  Vileneis  of  your  Apoftacy,  and 
of  the  Depth  of  your  Ruin.     Think  of  redeeming  Love. 
Think  of  converting  Grace.     Think  of  the  many  Means 
God  has  ured  with  you  in  his  Providence  &  by  his  Spirit. 
Think  of  all  his  Loving-kindnefTes  and  tender  Mercies. — • 
And,  think,  what  a  Bead  be  you  before  the  Lord !   Lie 
down  in  the  Duft,  and  cry  and  mourn  and  weep,  and  let 
your  Heart  break  !     Oh,your  want  of  Love  to  God,of  Zeal 
for  his  Glory,  of  Delight  in  his  Perfections,  and  of  Grati 
tude  for  all  his  Kindnefs  !    Alas,  how  you  difeileem  the 
God  that  Angels  love,  and  comparatively  defpife  the  GOD 
that  all  Heaven  adores  \     Alas,  how  careiefs  you  be  about 
his  Honour  and  Intereft,  and  how  ina6tive  in  his  Service  ! 
Alas,  how  you  difrelifh  the  Fountain  of  all  Goodnefs  and 
the  Ocean  of  all  Bleflednefs,  and  hanker  after  otherTmngs, 
and  go  away  from  God  to  feek  Reft  elfewhere,  and  thereby 
caft  infinite  Contempt  upon  the  Delight  of  Heaven  and  the 
Joy  of  Angels,  the  ever-blefTed  &  alfufficient  Goa  1    Think 
of  the  peculiar  Obligations,  God  has  laid  you  under  by  all 
the  fecretWays  Of  his  Providence  &  Grace  with  you,  &  of 
all  the  infmitePains  he  has  taken  with  you  to  make  you  hum 
ble,  weaned  from  theWorld,devoted  to  God,)oving,kind,ten- 
der-hearted,friendly  &  obliging  to  all  Mankind,and  univer- 
fally  holy  ;  and  fee  and  fay,  Was  everWretch  fo  vile  !  Did 
ever  Wretch  treat  fuch  a  God,  in  fuch  a  Manner,under  fuch 
Circumftances  !    Oh,  hov/  far,  how  infinitely  far  you  are, 

from 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   233 

from  being  what  you  ought  to  be  !  This  made  St.  Paul 
account  himfelf  lets  than  the  leafl  of  all  Saints,  and  forget  the 
things  that  are  behind :  his  Attainments  dwindled  away, 
as  it  were  to  nothing,  when  he  compared  himfelf  with 
God's  holy  Law,  and  thought  what  he  ought  to  be,  and 
whatObligations  he  was  under  •,  and  he  did  therefore,  as  it 
were  fet  down  all  that  he  had  hitherto  attained  for  nothing, 
and  feel  and  a<J  as  if  he  was  but  juft  now  beginning  to  live 
to  God.  Rom.  7.  14.  The  Law  is  fpiritual,  but  I  am  car 
nal,  fold  under  Sin.  Ver.  24.  O  wretched  Man  that  I  am! 
Phil.  3.  13,14.  I  forget  the  Things  which  are  behind ',  I  reach 
forth  towards  .thofe  firings  which  are  before,  I  prefs  towards 
the  Mark.  And,  O  Believer,  go  you,  and  do  likewife. 

Befides,  remember,  that  it  is  no  Thanks  to  you  that  you 
are  not  to  this  Day  fecure  in  Sin  :  Yea,  that  you  are  not 
one  of  the  vileft  and  profaneft  Creatures  in  the  World. 
Your  Nature  was  bad  enough ;  the  Seeds  of  every  Sin  were 
in  your  Heart  •,  but  for  retraining  or  fanctifying  Grace  you 
might  have  been  as  bad  as  any  in  Sodom.  And  what  was 
it  moved  God  to  awaken  you,  and  flop  you  in  your  Ca 
reer  in  Sin,  and  turn  you  to  God  ?  Was  it  for  your  Righ- 
teoufnefs  ?  Oh,  be  afhamed  and  confounded  forever !  For 
his  own  Sake  he  has  done  it,  when  you  was  a  ftubborn, 
fliff-necked,  rebellious  Creature.  And  truly,  what  has 
been  your  Carriage  towards  the  Lord,  compared  with  the 
exacl:  Rule  of  Duty,  the  holy  Law  of  God,  fince  the  Day 
you  have  known  him  ?  O  remember  Maffah  and  Tabe- 
rah  and  Kibroth-hataavah,  and  how  you  have  been  rebelli 
ous  againft  the  Lord,  ever  fince  he  has  taken  you  in  Hand 
to  fubdue  you  to  himfelf.  (Read  Dent.  9.  and  fee  how 
much  yourTemper  has  been  like  theirs.)  And  this  notwith- 
flanding  all  the  Signs  and  Wonders  God  has  wrought  be 
fore  your  Eyes  :  I  mean,  notwithftanding  all  the  fweet  and 
awful  Methods  God  has  taken  with  you,  to  make  you 
know  him  and  love  him  and  fear  him  and  live  to  him. 
There  are  Thoufands  and  Thoufands  that  God  never  took 
any  fuch  fpecial  Pains  with.  Their  Sins  are  not  like  yours. 
Come  down  therefore,  fit  in  the  Duft,  mourn  and  weep, 
and  loath  and  abhor  your  felf,  as  long  as. you  Jive  -,  and  af- 

cribe 


234        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

cribe  all  Praife  to  God,  thro'  whofe  Grace  alone  it  is,  that 
you  be  what  you  be. 

Let  me  here  addrefs  you  in  the  Words  of  the  famous  Mr. 
Hooker.  "  That  thou  mayeft  for  ever,each  Day  that  pafTeth 
"  over  thy  Head,  remember  it  to  the  Lord,  and  leave  it 
"  upon  Record  in  thine  own  Connfcience ;    fay,  Hadft 
"  thou  (blefTed  Lord)  given  me  the  Defires  of  my  Heart, 
"  and  left  me  to  my  own  Will,  it  is  certain  I  had  been. in 
"  Hell  long  before  this  Day,  when  in  the  Days  of  my  Folly 
"  and  Times  of  my  Ignorance,  when  out  of  the  defperate 
"  Wretchednefs  of  my  rebellious  Difpofition,  I  was  run- 
"  ning  Riot  in  the  Ways  of  Wickedneis,^7^  1 faid  to  the 
"  Seer s^  fee  not^  and  to  the  Prophets^  frophefy  not^  to  Chrif- 
"  tians,  to  Acquaintance,  to  Governours,  admonifh   not, 
"  couniel  not,  reprove  not,  flop  me  not  in  the  purfuit  of 
"  Sin.     The  Time  was,  I  took  hold  of  Deceit  and  refufed  to 
<c  return  ;  nay,  refolved  in  the  fecret  Purpofe  of  my  Heart, 
"  /  would  none  of  thee  ;  I  would  not  have  that  Word  of 
"  thine  reveal  or  remove  my  Corruptions  -,  I  would  none 
"  of  thy  Grace  that  might  humble  me  and  purge  me,  none 
"  of  that  Mercy  of  thine  that  might  pardon  me,  none  of 
"  that  Redemption  of  thine  that  might  favc  me.     Hadft 
"  thou  then  taken  me  at  my  Word,  and  given  me  what  I 
"  wiihed,  and  fealed  my  Deftruction,  faying,  Be  thou  for 
'  ever  filthy,  for  ever  ftubborn,  and  for  ever  miferable  •, 
4  thou  wouldeft  neither  be  holy  nor  happy,  thou  malt 
"  have  thy  Will,  Sin  with  Devils  and  take  thy   Portion 
"  with  Devils  j  Lord,  it  had  been  juft  with  thee,  and  I 
'  juftly  miferable.     But  to  bear  with'  all  my  Bafenefs,  to 
"  put  up  all  thofe  Wrongs  and  Provocations,  to  ftrive 
"  with  me  for  my  Good,  when  I  took  up  Arms  againft 
c  thee,  and  ftrove  againft  my  own  Good  -,  nay,  when  I  re- 
"  lifted  Mercy  •,  and  then  to  take  away  thatRefiftance,and 
"  to  caufe  me  to  take  Mercy,  and  make  it  mine,  when  I 
"  ufed  all  the  Skill  I  could  to  hinder  my  own  Salvation  : 
'  Oh !  The  Height5the  Depth,the  Length,  theBreadth  of 

K  this  Mercy  ! When  we  feel  our  Hearts  to  be  puffed 

c  up  with  the  vain  Apprehenfton  of  our  own  Worth,  Parts 

*  or  Performances,  what  we  are,  and  what  we  do  ;    look 

!c  we  back  to  our  firft  Beginnings  and  judge  aright  of  our 

"  own 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  235 

"  own  Wretchednefs  and  Nothingnefs,  yea,  worfe  than 
"  Nothing,  in  that  we  not  only  wanted  all  Good,  but  we 
"  had  it  within  us  to  oppofe  allGood  \  and  that  will  caufe 
*'  us  to  fit  down  in  Silence  abafed  for  ever.  When  empty 
u  Bladders  are  grown  unto  too  great  Bulk  and  Bignefs,  to 
"  prick  them  is  the  readieft  Way  to  lefTen  them  ;  when 
<e  our  empty  and  vain  Minds  fwell  with  high  Thoughts, 
"'  and  high  overweening  Conceit  of  our  own  Worth,  learn 
"  we  to  flab  and  pierce  our  Hearts  with  the  righteous 
*c  Judgment  of  our  own  natural  Viienels,  which  will  (or 
"  at  leafl  may)  let  out  that  frothy  Haughtinefs  that  lifts 
"  us  up  beyond  our  Meafure  :  Tell  thy  Heart,  and  com- 
"  mune  with  thy  Confcience,  and  fay,  It  is  not  my  good 
"  Nature,  that  I  am  not  roaring  ajnongft  the  Wretches  of 
"  the  World  in  the  Road  and  broad  Way  of  Ruin  and 
*c  Deftruction,  that  I  am  not  wallowing  in  all  Manner  of 
"  Sin  with  the  worft  of  Men.  It  is  not  my  good  Nature  ; 
"  no  thank  to  any  Thing  that  I  have,  that  I  am  not  upon 
"  the  Chain  with  Malefactors,  or  in  a  Dungeon  with 
"  Witches  •,  for  whatever  Hell  hath,  it  is  in  this  Heart  of 
4C  mine  naturally,  a  Cain  here,  a  Judas  here,  nay  a  Devil 
"  here.  The  Time  was  (  O  that  with  an  abafed  Heart  I 
tc  may  ever  think  of  that  Time  )  I  never  looked  after  the 
ic  fpiritual  Good  of  my  Soul,  or  whether  I  had  a  Soul  or 
"  no  ^  what  would  become  of  me  and  it,  was  the  lead  of 
"  my  Care,  the  furtheft  End  of  my  Thoughts  •,  nay,  loth 
was  I  to  hear  of,  or  know  thefe  Things ;  when  they 
were  revealed,  unwilling  to  receive  them,  or  give  Way 
to  them  when  they  were  offered  :  how  did  I  ftop  mine 
c  Ears,  {hut  mine  Eyes,  and  harden  my  Heart  ?  What 
*c  Ways,  Means,  and  Devices  did  I  ufe  and  invent,  to  fhut 
out  the  Light  of  Truth,  to  ftop  the  Pafiage  and  Power 
of  the  Word,  that  it  might  not  convince  me,  that  it 
"  might  not  reform  me,  might  not  recall  me  from  my 
*•  evil  Ways  ?  How  often  have  I  fecretly  wiihed,  that  ei- 
"  thcr  the  Word  were  taken  out  of  the  Place,  or  I  from  it, 
"  that  it  might  not  trouble  me  in  my  fmful  Diftempers, 
"  and  when  I  had  leaft  Good  I  had  moft  Eafe,  and  took 
**  the  greateft  Content,  Oh  that  fuch  a  Wretch  Ihould 

;  "  thus 


it 


<c 


236          "True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

"  thus  live,  and  yet  live  !  To  be  thus  fmful  !  O  that. I 
"  might  be  for  ever  abafed  for  it.*  " 

Thus  the  Law,  as  a  Rule  of  Life,  may  be  improved  to 
thcHumiliation  of  the  People  of  God,  in  that  it  may  ferve  to 
keep  frefh  in  their  Minds,  their  native  univerfal  Depravity, 
their  former  Wickednefs,  and  to  difcover  their  remaining 
Sinfulnefs.  And  I  may  here  obferve,  that  it  is  Believers 
peculiar  Acquaintance  with  the  Law  in  it's  true  Meaning, 
Stri&nefs  and  Purity,  that  is  the  Occafion  of  their  pecu 
liar  Acquaintance  with  their  own  Hearts.  And  while  the 
Law  daily  mews  them  what  they  be,  it  learns  them  more 
and  more  their  Need  of  a  Redeemer  and  Sandifier,  and 
daily  puts  them  upon  going  to  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  for 
pardoning  Mercy  and  fan6tifyingGrace.  The  Law  makes 
Way  for  the  Gofpel  ;  and  a  Senfe  of  Sin,  Weaknefs  and 
Unworthinefs  makes  Chrift  and  Gofpel-Grace  precious,and 
ilirs  up  a  Man  to  Repentance,  Faith  &  Prayer.  Deluded 
therefore,  are  thofe  poor  Souls  that  fay,  "  We  muft  not 
"  look  into  our  Hearts,  nor  labour  after  a  Senfe  of  our 
"  Sins  and  Sinfulnefs  ;  for  that  is  legal,  and  tends  to.  Dif- 
<c  couragement  :  but  we  muft  look  only  to  Chrift  and  free 
Ct  Grace,  and  believe  and  rejoycevand  a  Senfe  of  the  Love 
"  of  Chrift  will  humble  us."  Juft  as  if  the  great  Bufinefs 
of  Chrift  was,  to  keep  Men  from  a  Sight  and  Senfe  of 
their  Sins  •,  and  juft  as  if  a  Man  could  be  truly  humbled, 
without  feeing  what  he  is,  compared  with  God  and  his 

holy  Law. But  poor  Souls,  they  feel  a  legal,  difcoura- 

ged  Frame  always,  when  they  have  any  Sight  and  Senfe  of 
their  Sinfulnefs,  and  it  damps  their  Faith  (and  if  they  were 
but  thorc'ly  fenfible  of  their  Sinfulnefs,  it  would  kill  their 
Faith)  and  joy  -,  and  therefore  they  conclude,it  is  not  a  good 
Way  to  look  into  their  Hearts,  no  Good  can  be  got  by  it. 
But  when  they  don't  mind  their  Hearts,  but  look  fteadily 
to  Chrift  and  free  Grace,  (a  fancied  Chrift!)  firfnly  believing 
that  all  he  has  done  and  fuffered  is  for  them,  and  realiz 
ing  the  Matter  to  themfelves,  now  they  feel  fweetly  and 
joyfully  j  and  therefore  conclude,  that  this  is  the  Way,  the 
only  Way,  to  get  Good  for  their  Souls  :  And  hence  grow 
mighty  Enemies  to  the  Law,  to  Self-Examination,  to  Senfe 

of 
'f  Mr.Heottr's  Application  of  Redemption,  Vol.  I,  Pag.  97>— !T100' 


and  diftiriguijhed  from  ail  Counterfeits.  237 

of  Sin,  &c.  This  is  the  Door,  by  which  if  any  Man  enters 
in,  he  will  foon  become  an  Antinomian  and  an  Enthiifiaft. 
But  to  proceed. 

USE  IV.  Of  Tbankfulnefs.  While  the  Law  (hews  us 
what  v/e  be,  it  does  at  the  fame  Time  make  us  fenfxble  what 
we  deferve  •,  while  it  difcovers  to  us  our  Sinfulnefs,  it  makes 
usfeelourUnworthinefs  of  anyGood,and  Defert  of  all  Evil  : 
and  while  we  feel  our  Unworthinefs  and  ill  Deferts,  our 
Afflictions  appear  far  lefs  than  we  deferve,  and  our  Mercies 
appear  more  in  Number  than  the  Sands,  and  the  Kindnefs 
and  Bounty  of  our  God  appears  exceeding  great,  and  we 
wonder  at  his  Goodnefs  and  blefs  his  holy  Name.  And  thus 
the  Law  is  of  Ufeto  promote  Thankfulnefs. 

God  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  in  Teftimony  of 
his  high  Difpleafure  againtl  Mankind  for  their  Apoftacy 
from  him,  has  fpread  Miferies  and  Calamities  all  round  the 
Earth  :  from  the  King  upon  the  Throne,  to  the  Beggar  on 
the  Dunghil,  there  is  not  one,  bat  has  a  greater  or  lefier 
Share  in  the  Troubles  of  Life  ;  and  many  have  their  Days 
filled  up  with  Sorrows.  And  now  Murmurings  arife  all 
round  this  guilty World,and  the  general  Cry  is,  "  No  Body 
"  meets  with  fuch  Troubles  as  I  do,  I  am  very  hardly  dealt 
with."  But  theLaw  teaches  us,that  God  is  holy  inall  thefe 
his  Ways,  and  righteous  in  all  thefe  his  Works  ;  and  that 
we  are  all  punifhed  far  lefs  than  we  deferve  ;  and  fo  bur 
Complaints  are  filenced,  and  ourHearts  quieted  into  a  hum 
ble  SubmifTion,  and  it  appears  infinitely  fit,  a  rebellious 
World  mould  be  full  of  Wo,  that  we  might  learn  that  it  is 
an  evil  and  bitter  Thing  to  foriake  the  Lord. 

But  at  the  fame  Time,  God  the  great  Lord  of  all,  out 
of  his  boundlefs  Goodnefs  thro'  Jcfus  Chrift,  reprievesMan- 
kind  from  the  tbreatned  Ruin,  ftrews  common  Mercies  with 
a  liberal  Hand  all  round  the  Earth,  fends  Rain  and  fruit 
ful  Seafons,  and  fills  the  Hearts  of  all,  more  or  Ids,  with 
Food  and  Gladnefs  •,  and  to  fome  he  grants  his  fpecial 
Grace,  makes  them  his  Children,  and  intides  them  to  eter 
nal  Life.  And  thus  fa  is  the  Saviour  of  all  Men,  but  efpe- 
cially  of  tbofe  that  believe,  i  Tim.  4.  10.  Yet  this  GoodneTs 
of  God  is  but  little  taken  Notice  of  in  the  World.  But  the 
Law,  while  it  difcovers  what  we  be,  and  how  unworthy  and 

'  .Hell- 


238          "True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

Hell -deferring  we  are,  makes  us  fenfible  of  the  Freenefs 
and  Riches  of  God's  Grace  in  thefe  his  Kindneiies.  For 
while  we  feel  that  Hell  is  cur  proper  Due,  everyThing  that 
lenders  our  Cafe  better  than  that  of  the  Damned,  we  mall 
accept  as  a  choice  Mercy ,and  as  an  Effect  of  freeGrace  -,  and 
fo  inllead  of  being  always  in  a  murmuring  and  repining 
Difpofition,  we  mail  be  always  wondering  at  theGoodnefs, 
admiring  at  the  Kindnefs  of  the  Lord  j  faying  with  good 
Jacob^  We  are  net  worthy  of  the  k aft  of  fill  the  Mercies,  and 
of  all  the  Truth,  which  thcu  haft  Jhewed  unto  thy  Servants. 
Gen.  32.  10.  And  with  the  Jewijh  Church,  0  give  Thanks 
unto  the  Lord,  for  he  is  Good,  for  his  Mercy  endurethfor  ever. 
Ffal.  136.  And  we  mall  always  find,  that  the  more  fenfi 
ble  we  be  of  our  Unworthinefs  and  ill  Defert,  the  more 
Caufe  we  mall  fee  for  Thankfulnefs,  let  our  outward  Cir- 
cumftances  in  this  Life  be  what  they  will. 
But, 

USE  V.  In  the  laft  Place,  Let  all  that  has  been  laid  be 
improved  by  Way  of  Exhortation,  to  excite  and  engage  the 
people  of  God,  more  and  more  to  renounce  themfelves,  theWorld 
and  Sin,  and  give  up  themfelves  to  God,  to  love  him  and  live 
to  him  and  delight  in  him  with  all  their  Hearts  for  ever. 

You  have  feen  what  Grounds  you  have  to  do  fo,  arifing 
from  God's  infinite  Greatnefs,  Glory  and  Excellency ;  and 
you  have  been  viewing  your  fuperadded  Obligations  :  And 
is  the  Lord  fuch  a  God,  and  is  he  your  God  and  Redeemer, 
O  how  ftrongly  are  you  bound  to  keep  all  his  Command 
ments  !  And  what  is  it,  O  Believer,  that  the  Lord  thy  God 
requireth  of  thee,  but  to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk 
in  all  his  Ways,  and  to  love  him,  and  to  ferve  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thy  Heart  and  with  all  thySoul  ?  And  is  there 
not  in  keeping  his  Commands  a  great  Reward  ?  Did  you 
ever  Tafte  fuch  Sweetnefs,  as  in  a  Life  of  Devotednels  to 
God  !  And  have  not  your  Wandrings  from  him  coft  you 
many  a  bitter  and  mournful  Hour  ?  O,  how  happy  would 
you  be,  if  once  you  could  come  to  it,  to  have  done  with 
every  Thing  elfe  and  to  be  wholly  the  Lord's  !  Serioufly 
confider  thefe  Things  •> 

i.  That  you  can  come  to  it,  to  have  done  with  every  Thing 
elfe,  and  be  wholly  the  Lord's,  at  leafl  in  a  V aft ly  greater  De 
gree 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   239 

gree,than  ever  yet  you  have.  SeeP£/7.  3.  13,  14.  You  aftually 
already  have  God  working  in  you  to  will  and  to  do,  Phil.  2 . 1 3 . 
He  has  always  been,  as  it  were,  labouring  to  humble  you, 
and  wean  you  from  the  World,  and  bring  you  nearer  to 
himfeif,  to  love  him,  live  to  him,  and  delight  in  him,  ever 
lince  the  Day  you  fir  ft  came  to  know  him,  by  the  outward 
Difpenfations  of  his  Providence,  and  by  the  inward  Striv 
ings  of  his  Spirit.  He  has  always  been  purging  you,  that 
you  might  bring  forth  mere  Fruit.  Job.  15.2.  Yea,  this  was 
the  very  Defign  of  Chrift's  corning  into  the  World,  that  he 
might  deliver  you  out  of  the  Hands  of  all  your  Enemies^  and 
bring  you  to  ferveGod,  without  Fear,  in  Holinefs  and  Right e- 
ovfnefS)  all  the  Days  of  your  Life.  Ltik.  i.  74.  And  that  he 
'might  redeem  you  from  all  Iniquity ',  and  purify  you  to  himfeif  \ 
that  you  might  be  peculiarly  his  i  and  zealous  of  good  Works ^ 
Tit.2.  14.  And  for  this  End,  God  has  already  taken,  as  it 
were,  infinite  Pains  with  you,  and  this  is  what  he  is  conti 
nually  urging  you  unto,  and  he  declares  that  he  is  readier 
to  give  you  his  holy  Spirit,  than  earthly  Parents  are  to  give 
Bread  to  their  Children,  and  invites  and  encourages  arid 
commands  you  to  ajk.  Matt.  7.  7.  &c.  And  will  you  not 
now  therefore  arife  and  put  on  the  whole  Armour  of  God, 
and  make  your  ftrongeft  Efforts  to  recover  from  Sin  to 
God  ? 

God  the  great  King  of  Heaven  and  Earth  commands 
you  to  do  fo  •,  Jefus  the  kind  Mediator  invites  you  to  do 
fo  •,  and  the  holy  Spirit  the  Sanctifier  is  ready  to  help  you. 
Arife  therefore,  and  be  of  good  Courage,  for  the  Lord  is 
with  you.  Did  you  ever  iiir  up  your  felf  to  feek  after  God 
in  vain,  or  fet  about  a  Life  of  greater  Serioufnefs,  Watch- 
fulnefs  and  Prayer,  and  find  no  Advantage  by  it  ?  Or  have 
you  not  always  faid  in  the  Conclufion,  that  //  is  good  for  me 
to  draw  near  to  God  •,  (PfaL  73.  28.)  And  condemned  and 
hated  your  felf  for  your  former  Slackncfs,  and  been  ready  co 
refolve  from  your  inmoft  Soul,  that  you  would  call  upon  the 
Lord  as  long  as  you  live  ?  PfaL  i  j6.  2. 

And  Let  me  put  it  to  your  Conference,  do  not  you  be 
lieve,  that  -if  now  you  would  gird  up  the  Loyns  of  your 
Mind,  and  quit  your  felf  like  a  Man,  and  be  ftrong,  that 
thro*  Chrijl  ftrengthning  of  you,  you  may  do  all  Things  ?  And 

ftiall 


240          True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

(hall  Carelefnefs  or  Stupidity,  fliall  Lazinefs  &  Sloth,  (hall 
the  Allurements  or  the  Difcouragemcnts  ot  the  World  or 
the  Devil,  now  after  all,  hinder  you  ?  What  !  When  you 
have  been  redeemed,  net  with  Silver  and  Gcld^  lut  with  tie 
precious  Blood  of  the  Son  of  God>  when  your  Priibn-Door  is 
flung  open,  and  ycur  Chains  knocked  off,  and  you  called 
and  invited  to  come  out  into  the  glorious  Liberty  of  tbeCbii- 
dren  of  God,  and  when  God  is  actually  {hiving  with  you 
already,  and  Hands  ready  to  afford  you  farther  Help,  what 
now  be  hindered  !  What !  And  be  hindered  byCareiefnefs, 
Unwatchiulriefs,  &~c  !  What,  fnall  the  Saviour  groan  in 
the  Garden,  and  die  en  the  Crofs,  and  yet  you  lie  deeping 
here  !  What,  aileep  !  What,  content  without  God  in  the 
World  !  What,  when  the  wholeArmy  of  Prophets,  A  poitles 
and  Martyrs  have  failed  and  prayed  all  their  Days,  and 
waded  thro'  a  Sea  of  Blood  at  laft  !  Me  thinks,  you  had 
better  abandon  every  mortal  Delight,  lay  cfide  every  height 
and  the  Sin  that  more  eafily  befets  you,  and  mourn  and  weep, 
and  watch  and  pray,  and  fight  and  ftrive,  as  long  as  you 
live,  than  act  fo  far  beneath  the  Dignity  and  Character  of  a 
Chriftian. 

It  is  but  a  few  in  the  World,  that  truly  know  God  and  the 
Way  of  Accefs  to  him  thro*  Jeius  Chrift,  and  are  in  a 
(fpiritualj  Capacity  to  live  a  Life  of  Devotednefs  to  God 
and  Communion  with  him  :  moil  Men  are  dead  in  Sin. 
But  you  hath  he  quickened,  and  you  are  his  Workmanfhify 
created  in  Chrift  Jejus  unto  good  Works  \  and  it  is  God's  De- 
fign  you  Ihould  walk  in  them  :  you  that  were  without 
Chrift  and  without  God  in  the  World,  afar  off,  are  now 
brought  nigh  -,  and  you  are  no  more  Strangers  and  Fo 
reigners^  but  Fellow -Citizens  with  the  Saints  and  of  the 
Houjhold  of  God :  for  this  Caufe  I  therefore  befeech  you, 
walk  worthy  of  the  Vocation  wherewith  you  are  called.  See 
this  Argument  enlarged  upon  in  the  2d,  3d  &  4th  Chapters 
of  the  Epiftle  to  the  Epbejians,  and  your  Duties  ftill  more 
particularly  delineated  in  the  5th  &  6th: 

2.  Confider,  T'bat  as  your  Cafe  is  circumflanced^  it  is  at- 
folutely  impojfible  for  you  ever  to  find  any  ether  reft  ing  Place 
butGcd>  or  ever  take  any  fatifying  Comfort  of  your  Lifejut  in 
a  Way  of  Devotednefs  to  God  &  Communion  with  him,  The 

Cafe 


*  arid  dijlmguijkedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  241 

Cafe  is  not' with  you,  O  Believer,  as  it  is  with  other  Men. 
Ton  only  have  I  kncit  n  of  all  theFamilies  of  the  Earth  •,  therefore 
will  I  punijh  you  for  ally  our  Iniquities^  faidGod  to  his  ancient 
People.  Mic.  3.  2.  But  the  otherNations  of  theEarth  might 
worfhip  Idols  and  ferve  \Vood  and  Stone,  and  go  on  and 
profper,  without  being  called  to  a  prefent  Account.  And  fo 
it  is  as  to  particularPerfons.  Baftards,  who  have  no  Parents 
to  own  them  and  bring  them  up,  may,  as  for  any  Reftraints 
from  parental  Authonty,do  what  they  will.  They  that  don'c 
belong  to  God's  Family,  may  live  from  Home  as  long  as 
they  pleafe,  and  becaufc  they  have  no  Intereft  in  hisHoufe, 
may,  in  Refpect  of  divine  Permiffion,  go  and  live  where 
they  pleafe,  may  continue  to  lie  out  from  God  :  But  whom 
the  'Lord  icveth,  he  chaftneth  ;  and  fcourgeth  every  Son  whom 
be  receivefh.  Heb.  12.  6.  Hypocrites  may  lofe  their  Religi 
on,  and  lie  dead  whole  Months  and  Years  together,  and  re 
turn  with  the  Dog  to  his  Vomit,  and  take  as  much  Com 
fort  in  the  World  and  their  Lufts  as  ever  :  But  it  is  im- 
poflible  that  you  mould  :  You  can  never  get  your  Confci- 
ence  afleep  as  other  Men's  are,  or  your  Heart  content  to  lie 
out  from  God,  or  wring  your  felf  out  of  your  Father's 
Hand,  or  get  out  of  the  Reach  of  his  Rod. 

Solomon  once  feem'd  refolved  to  find  another  refting  Place 
for  his  Heart  befides  God,  and  fomething  elfe  to  takeCom- 
fort  in,  and  he  was  under  the  beft  outward  Advantages  to 
make  a  thoro'  Trial, that  ever  Man  was  -,  but  he  never  did, 
and  never  could  :  But  was  always  like  a  Bone  out  of  Joint, 
or  like  the  Needle  of  a  Compafs  turned  afide  from  its  be- 
JovedStar.  Vanity  of  Vanities,  fays  thePreacher,  all  isVanity 
and  Vexation  of  Spirit.  And  poor  D#wW,how  was  he  pain 
ed  with  Anguifh  of  Spirit,  for  theSin  whereby  he  provoked 
the  Lord  ?  Pfal.  32.  3,  &c.  While  I  kept  Silence  ( i.  e.  be 
fore  Nathan  came,  who  brought  me  to  an  openConfefllon, 
fee  j#.  5.)  my  Bones  waxed  old\  thro9  my  roaring  all  the  Day 
long.  For  Day  and  Night  thy  Hand  was  heavy  upon  me  ; 
My  Moifture  is  turned  into  the  Drought  cf  Summer.  And 
never  did  a  Believer  depart  from  God  to  feek  another  reft 
ing  Place,  or  go  away  from  the  Fountain  of  living  Waters, 
to  get  fomething  elfe  to  take  Comfort  in  ;  but  God  hedged 
up  bis  Way  with  Tbwns,  and  made  a  Wall  that  he  could  net 

R  find 


242          TCrue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

fnd  his  Path :  So  that  altho'  he  followed  after  bis  Lovers, 
he  never  overtook  them,  and  tho*  he  fought  them,  be  never 
found  them  :  But  at  laft  has  been  conftrained  to  fay,  1  will 
go  and  return  to  my  firft  Hufband  *,  for  then  was  it  better  with 
me  than  now.  Hof.  2.  6,  7.  His  Backjlidings  have  reproved 
£;>/,and  his  Wickednefs  has  corrected  £/#z,and  made  him  know, 
to  the  breaking  of  hisHeart,  that  it  is  an  evil  and  bitter^l  king 
to  for  fake  the  Lord.  Jer.  2.  19.  For  as  God  thus  dealt  with 
the  Jewifh  Church  of  old,  fo  he  does 'with  every  Believer  ; 
for  all  God's  Dealings  with  them  were  for  Enfamples  :  And 
they  are  written  for  our  Admonition,  upon  whom  the  Ends  6f 
the  World  are  come,  i  Cor  10.  1 1 . 

And  this  now  being  the  Cafe,  O  Believer,  and  you  hav 
ing  always  by  your  own  Experience  found  it  fq,  will  you 
notwithftanding  forfake  the  Lord  ?  What  Fault,  What  Ini 
quity  do  you  find  in  God,  that  you  fhould  forfake  him  ?  Has 
he  been  a  Wilder nefs  unto  you,  or  a  Land  of  Darknefs  ?  Or 
has  he  not  been  your  Father,  ever  fince  the  Day  he  took 
you  by  the  Hand  to  lead  you,  even  ever  iince  the  Day  you 
firft  knew  him  ?  Or  be  you  weary  of  Lightfome,  of  fweet 
and  happy  Days,  and  impatient  to  plunge  your  felf  into 
Darknefs,  Diftrefs  and  Anguifh  ?  May  you  not  expecl, 
if  you  forfake  him  and  go  away  from  him,  to  feek  another 
refting  Place,  and  fomething  elle  to  take  Comfort  in  as  your 
Portion,  that  he  will  ftrip  you  naked  as  in  the  Day  that  you 
was  born,  and  make  you  deiblate,  and  a  Terror  to  your  felf, 
and  that  his  Anger  will  fmoke  againil  you,  and  his  Hand 
lie  heavy  upon  you  ?  And  then  will  you  mourn  like  theDove 
in  the  Valley^  and  be  troubled,  and  go  bowed  down  greatly,  and 
rore  by  Reafon  of  the  Difquietnefs  of  your  Heart,  and  wifh  a 
Thoufand  and  Thoufand  Times  that  you  had  never  for- 
fakenthe  Lord.  Read  Pfal.  38.  Jer.  2d  and  3d  Chaffers. 
and  Hof.  2.  Will  you  not  therefore  bid  Adieu  to  all  other 
Lords  and  Lovers,  and  cleave  unto  the  Lord  with  all  your 
Heart  for  ever  ?  for  this  is  your  Wifdom,  and  this  is  your 
Life,  W  hich  brings  me  to  add, 

3.  Confider,  If  you  will  have  done  with  every  Thing  elfe, 
and  give  up  your  felf  to  the  Lord,  to  love  him  and  live  to 
him  and  be  wholly  his,  then  God  will  be  your  God  fenfibly,and 
you  vM,  infyirittial  Refpefts,  be  one  of  the  happieft  Cnatuns 

in 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  243 

in  this  World  \  a  hundred  Times  happier  than  you  could 
pofftbly  be  in  the  Ways  of  Sin  •,  you  foal!  have  an  Hundred 
Fold  in  thisfrefent  World,  beftdes  eternal  Life  in  the  World  to 
come.  If  any  Man  love  me>  fays  Chriil,  and  keep  my  Com 
mandments  J  will  love  him  and  manifeft  my  f elf  unto  him:  And 
/  and  wy  Father  will  come  and  make  our  Abode  'with  him.  Joh. 
14.  2 1,  23.  He  that  dwelieth  in  the  fecret  Place  of  the  wojt 
High,  jh  all  abide  under  the  Shadow  of  the  Almighty.  Pfal.  91.1. 
And  God  will  be  your  Dwelling-Place  for  ever.  Pfal.  90.  i. 
While  the  Nations  dafh  themfelves  in  Pieces,  and  all  the 
World  is  in  Confufion,  and  while  you  pafs  thro*  the  Fire 
and  thro'  the  Water,  God  will  be  with  you  •,  and  he  will 
always  beyourLight,Life5l?eace,Joy,Glory  &BlefTednefs,  in 
this  uncione,dreadful  World  ;  &  yourHeart  will  be  firm  and 
fixed  like  Mount  Zion,  that  cannot  be  rtmovedjut  abideth  for 
ever  \  &  nothing  fhall  tverfeparate  you  from  theLove  ofGod^ 
neither  'Things  frefent,  nor  things  to  ccme,  nor  Heigth,  nor 
Depth,  nor  Life^  nor  Death^  nor  any  ether  Thing.  AndGod 
will  certainly  give  you  every  Thing  in  this  World  that  is 
bcft  for  you  and  moft  for  his  Glory,and  you  will  not  defire 
any  more  •,  and  all  the  evil  Things,  you  may  pafs  thro', 
will  fenfibly  work  together  for  your  Good.  Matt.  6.  33. 
Rom>  8.  28, — 39.  Pfal.  73.  25,  26. 

And  thus,  you  have,  by  Experience,  always  found,  that 
God  has  dealt  with  you.  I  appeal,  O  Believer,  to  your 
own  Confcience,  that  thus  it  has  always  been,  whenever  you 
have  fenfibly  from  the  Heart  renounced  all  other  Things, 
and  given  up  your  felf  to  the  Lord,  to  love  him  and  to  live 
to  him  and  to  take  Content  in  him,  God  has  fenfibly  been 
a  God  and  Father  and  Portion  unto  you,  and  has  given  you 
all  Things,  which  (every  Thing  confidered)  you  could  de- 
fire,  and  fenfibly  made  all  Things  work  together  for  your 
Good  •,  whence  you  have  been  many  a  Time  ready  to  fay, 
*fbat  not  a  Word  of  all  his  Promifes  has  ever  fallen  to  the 
Ground.  And  you  have  actually  enjoyed  a  hundred  Times 
pnoreComfort  in  the  Service  of  God,  in  Devotednefs  toGod 
and  Communion  with  him,  than  could  have  been  had  in 

the  Service  of  Sin. And  will  you  not  now  therefore  be 

intirely  and  for  ever  the  Lord's  ?  O  how  happy  you  might 
be  !  And  what  bieiled  Days  you  might  enjoy  ! 

R  2  4.  And 


244         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I, 

§  4.  And  that  which  can't  but  touch  a  filial  Heart,  con- 
fider,  That  if  you  will  thus  be  wholly  theLord's,to  love  him 
and  live  to  him  and  delight  in  him  and  to  do  his  Will, 
Cod  will  be  glorified  thereby -,  it  will  be  to  his  Honour  in  the 
World.  Joh.  15.8.  Herein  is  my  Father  glorified^  that  ye  bear 
muchFruit. — But  ye  are  a  chofenGeneratton^a  royal  Priefthoocl, 
a  holy  Nation^  a  peculiar  People  •,  that  ye  Jhould  Jhew  forth 
the  Praifes  of  him  ^  who  hath  called  you  out  of  Darknefs  into 
his  marvellous  Light,  i  Pet. 2. 9.  God  has  but  a  few  Friends 
in  the  World.  Many  that  pretend  to  be  his  Friends,  are  a 
great  difhonour  to  him  and  difgrace  to  Religion.  By  their 
Means  his  Name  is  blafphemed,  and  his  Ways  are  evilly 
fpoken  of.  And  in  general,  his  Honour  is  every  where 
trodden  down  in  the  Duft.  And  can  you  Hand  by  uncon 
cerned  ?  Yea,  can  you  look  on  without  your  Heart  bleeding 
within  you  ?  O  therefore,  be  ferious,  be  humble,  be  meek, 
holy  and  heavenly,  be  Peace-makers  and  merciful,  be  kind 
and  tender-heartedjcondefcending  and  obliging,  and  abound 
in  every  good  Work  ;  for  you  are  the  Salt  of  the  Earthy 
and  the  Light  of  the  World :  O  therefore  live  fo,  as  that  your 
Father  ^which  is  in  Heaven^may  be  glorified.  Mat.  5.13 — 16. 

To  conclude,  Will  you  not  now  therefore  determine,from 
this  Day  forward,  to  be  wholly  the  Lord's,  and  from  this 
Day  begin  to  live  to  God  in  better  earned  than  ever  ?  God 
is  ready  to  help  you.  You  will,  as  to  prefent  Comfort,  be 
undone,  if  you  do  not  live  to  God  ;  and  Peace  and  Glory 
and  Blefiednefs  is  before  you,  if  you  do  •,  and  God,  even 
your  God,  will  be  glorified.  And  if  you  are  now  ready,  by 
the  Grace  of  God,  to  hearken  unto  this  Advice,  then  take 
thefe  two  Dire&ions. 

I.  Lay  afide  every  Weight ,  and  the  Sins  which  more  eajily 
lefet  you.  Heb.  12.  i.  In  a  ferious  and  fweet  Hour,  when 
you  get  alone  and  mourn  and  pray  and  give  up  your  felf  to 
God,  and  think  and  refolve  you  will  now  be  for  ever  the 
Lord's,  you  are  wont,  uponSelf-Examination  and  a  Review 
of  paft  Times,  to  fee  and  fay,  "  This,  that,  and  the  other 
*c  Thing,  has  been  the  finful  Occafion,  Time  after  Time, 
"  of  my  lofmg  a  ferious  gracious  Frame  of  Heart,  and  by 
<c  fuch  and  fuch  finful  Means  I  have  gradually  loft  a  Senle 
f*  of  divine  and  eternalThings,  and  fo  have  wandered  from 

«  God 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  245 

"  God,  and  laid  a  Foundation  for  Darknefs  and  Sorrow, 
-"  O  my  Carelefnefs !  O  that  I  had  prayed  more  in  fecret  \ 
"  O  that  I  had  fpent  precious  Time  better,  6? c.  &?<r."  Thefe 
now  are  the  Weights,  and  thefe  the  Sins,  which  ealily  befet 
you,  and  thefe  you  muft  lay  afide  for  ever,  if  you  defign 
to  be  the  Lord's  indeed,  and  to  make  a  Bufinefs  of  Religion 
to  Purpofe.  But  perhaps  you  will  fay,  "  My  worldly  Bu- 
"  finefs,  my  necefTary  Cares, .  and  the  common  Duties  of 
"  Life,  are  fometimes  the  very  Things,  and  thefe  I  ought 
"  not  to  lay  afide,   and  what  fhall  1  do  in  this  Cafe  ?" 
I  anfwer.  That  at  another  Time,  the  necefraryCares,Bufmefs 
and  Duties  of  Life,  you  find  to  be  no  Hindrances  at  all  ; 
even  at  fuch  Times  when  you  do  all  out  of  Love  to  God 
and  for  God,with  Singlenefs  of  Heart.     If  you  will  there 
fore  but  always  go  about  the  common  Duties  of  Life  in 
fuch  a  Manner,  they  will  never  be  any  Clog  to  you.  What 
you  have  therefore  to  do  in  the  Cafe,  is  not  to  lay  afide  that 
which  is  your  Duty,  but  to  lay  afide  your  wrong  Ends  and 
Aims.  And  thus  you  muft  lay  afide  every  Weight. — But, 
2.  If  you  defign  to  be  religious  in  good  earneft,  then  be 
careful  to  ufe  all  proper  Means  ^  and  do  every  proper  Thing, 
that  has  a  Tendency  to  promote  your  fpiritual  Life.    Every 
proper  Thing  I  fay,  to  guard  againit.  thofe  anti-fcriptural 
Methods   which   Enthufiafts   are   wont  to  take,  and  by 
which,  above  allThings,  their  falfeAffedions  are  promoted, 
but  which  have  a  direct  Tendency  to  kill  the  divine  Life. 
In  a  ferious  Hour  of  fweet  Retirement,  and  in  happy  Days 
when  you  are  neareft  to  Gj^l,  and  enjoy  moil  Communion 
with  him,  and  have  your  *nfes  moil:  accurate  to  difcern 
between  Good  and  Evil,    you  are  wont  to  fee  and  fay, 
"  O  how  bleffed  I  might  be,  if  I  did  always  keep  in  this 
"  narrow  Way,  which  now  lies  open  plain  before  me ;  if  I 
"  were  always  ferious,  watchful,  prayerful,  always  reading, 
"  or  meditadng,andiooking  to  God,and  keeping  myHeart, 
"  and  improving  every  precious  Moment  of  my  Time  wHe- 
"  \y  for  God,"  QV.  Well,well,  O  Believer,this  is  the  Way, 
walk  in  it ;  and  youjhall  be  like  a  Tree  planted  by  ibeRivers 
of  Water ^  that  bringeth  forth  his  Fruit  in  his  Seafon^  whoft 
Leaf  never  wither s9  and  whatfoever  you  do /hall  prcfpct 
And  after  a  few  more  Days  and  Weeks  and  Months  aiui 

R  3  ifc.!* 


246         True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  L 

Years  fpent  in  Prayer  and  Faith  and  Holinefs,  in  this 
your  Pilgrimage-State,  you  fhall  come  and  fit  down  with 
Abraham,  Ifaac  and  Jacob  in  the  Kingdom  of  God,  and 
dwell  for  ever  with  the  Lord.  Amen. 

Now  the  God  of  Peace,  tbat  brought  again  from  the  Dead 
eur  Lord  Jefus,  that  great  Shepherd  of  the  Sheep,  thro*  the 
Blood  of  the  everlafting  Covenant,  make  you  perfeft  in  tvery 
..good  Work,  to  do  his  Will,  working  in  you  that  which  is  welt 
pleaftng  in  his  Sight,  thro'  Jefus  Chrift :  to  whom  be  glory 
for  ever  and  ever.  AMEN. 


True 


"* 


True  Religion  delineated. 


DISCOURSE     II. 

Shewing  the  Nature  of  the  GOSPEL,  and  of 
a  genuine  Compliance  with  it. 

JOH.  IIL  1 6. 

jR?r  GOD  fo  loved  the  World,  that  he  gave 
his  only  begotten  Son9  that  whofoever  be- 
Ueveth  in  him,  jhould  not  perijh,  but  have, 
ever  la/ting  Life. . 

The  INTRODUCTION. 

JHE  grand  Queftion  before  us,is,  What  is  true 
Religion  ?  And  this  is  the  general  Anfwer, 
//  confifts  in  a  real  Conformity  to  the  La<w^  and 
in  a  genuine  Compliance  with  theGofpel.  What 
is  implied  in  a  real  Conformity  to  the  Law, 
has  been  already  (hewn  in  the  former  Dif- 
courfe  ;  and  we  come  now  to  confider  wherein  a  genuine 
Compliance  with  the  Go/pel  does  confift.  From  our  Savi 
our's  Mouth  we  had  before  a  brief  Summary  of  the  Law  ; 
and  now  from  our  Saviour's  Mouth  we  have  a  brief  Sum 
mary  of  the  Gofpel,  in  thefe  comprehenfive  Words,  God  fo 
kwd  the  World)  &c, 

R  4 


248        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  IL 

Nicodmus  came  to  him  for  Inftru&ion,  believing  him  to 
be  a  Teacher  lent  from  God.  Our  Saviour  begins  imme 
diately  to  inculcate  upon  him,  the  NecelTity  of  Regenera 
tion  and  Faith.  We  are  Sinners,  are  naturally  dead  in  Sin  \ 
and  therefore  muft  be  born  again,  be  recovered  to  the  di 
vine  Image  in  the  Temper  of  our  Minds,  and  fo  be  made 
fpiritually  alive.  We  are  guilty,  we  need  pardoningMercy 
at  tht  Hands  of  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  ;  but 
he  will  grant  it  only  thro*  the  Mediator  he  has  appointed  : 
in  him  therefore  muft  we  believe,  x>n  hisMerits  and  Media 
tion  muft  we  depend. Nicodemus  could  hardly  under- 

ftand  the  Doctrine  of  the  new  Birth  ->  and  our  Saviour  inti 
mates  that  the  Myfteries  of  our  Redemption  by  the  Blood 
of  Chrift,  were  like  to  be  ftill  more  difficult  to  him.  We 
can  eafily.  underftand  worldly  Things,  for  they  are  agreeable 
to  the  Temper  of  our  Minds,  and  fuit  the  Guft  and  Relifh 
of  our  Hearts  :  but  we  are  blind  to  Things  fpiritual  and 
divine,  are  flow  of  Heart  to  underftand  them,  they  not 
fuiting  the  Temper  and  Relifh  of  our  Hearts,  and  we  be 
ing  in  a  Difpofition  to  difrelifh  Things  of  fuch  a  Nature. 
Therefore  our  Saviour  obferves  to  Nicodemus,  ver.  19.  <This 
is  the  Condemnation,  that  Light  is  come  into  the  World^  but 
Men  love  Darknefs  rather  than  Light  ^  becaufe  their  Deeds  arc 
Evil.  We  are  in  a  State  of  Rebellion,  at  Enmity  againft 
God,  and  under  his  Wrath  ;  and  yet  ready  thro'  our  Dark 
nefs  to  flatter  our  felves  that  all  is  well  .-,  and  fo  are  fecure 
and  atEafe  :  Light  is  come  into  theWorld,difcovering  our 
Difeafe  and  our  Remedy,  but  we  love  our  Difeafe,  &  loath 
the  Remedy  ;  and  therefore  hate  the  Light  and  will  not 
come  to  it.  And  thus  our  Saviour  iozctesNicedemus  where 
in  true  Religion  confifts,  and  points  out  the  Averfion  of 
Mankind  unto  it.  Nor  is  there  any  Thing  that  will  difco- 
ver  our  Averfion  fo  plainly,  as  to  fet  true  Religion  in  it's 
own  IJght  ;  for  when  we  fee  clearly  what  it  is,  we  may 
perceive  how  we  ftand  affected  towards  tit  :  but  otherwise 
we  may  be  eafily  miftaken  -s  may  imagine  that  we  love  true 
Religion,  when  indeed  we  only  love  the  falie  Image  we 
have  framed  in  our  own  Fancy. —  Regeneration  and  Faith, 
theie  two  great  EfTentials,  wherein  alf.  Religion  radically 
are. tiie  Things. our  Saviour  "intulcates  upon  his 


new 


and  diftin%uijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  249 

new  Difciple.  Chrift  loved  to  lay  the  Foundation  well. 
He  was  not  fond  of  Converts,  unlefs  their  Converfion  was 
found.  And  indeed,  all  our  Religion  is  good  for  nothing, 
if  our  Nature  be  not  renewed  •,  and  all  our  Communion 
with  God  is  but  Fancy,  if  we  are  Strangers  to  Chrift  •,  for 
he  is  the  Way,  the  'Truth  and  the  Life,  and  no  Man  comes 

to  the  Father  but  by  him. But  to  proceed  to  the  Words 

of  the  Text,  God  fo  lo-jed  the  World,  &c. 

GOD — i.e.  God  the  Father,  the  firft  Perfon  in  the  ever- 
bleffed  Trinity,  who  fuftains  the  Dignity  and  Majefty  of 
God-head,  and  is  eminently  Lord  of  Heaven  and  Earth^ 
(Mat.  ii.  25.)  and  prime  Agent  in  the  Works  of  Creation 
and  Providence,  in  governing  the  World,  in  redeeming, 
fanctifying  and  faving  of  Sinners.  Rom.  1 1 . 36. — That  there 
are  three  Perfons  in  the  God-head,  the  Father,  the  Son,and 
theHoly  Ghofl,  and  that  thefe  Three  are  one  God,theScrip- 
tures  do  abundantly  teach.  (Mat.  28.  19.  2  Cor.  13.  13. 
1  Job-  5-  7-)  And  this  Doctrine  we  mud  believe,  or  we 

cannot  underftand  the  Gofpel. -Plow  they  are  l&ree&xA 

how  they  are  One,  is  not  revealed,  nor  is  it  necefTary  for 
us  to  know :  but  that  there  are  three  Perfons  in  the  God 
head  and  yet  but  one  God,  we  muft  believe  \  and  what 
Characters  they  fuftain,  and  what  Parts  they  act  in  the 
Affair  of  our  Salvation,  we  muft  underftand.  —  The 
Gofpel  reprefents  God  the  Father^  as  fovereign  Lord  of 
Heaven  and  Earth,  as  righteous  Governour  of  the  World, 
as  giving  Laws  to  his  Creatures,  as  revealing  his  Wrath  a- 
gainft  all  Tranfgrefiions  :  He  is  reprefented  as  being  in 
jured  and  offended  by  our  Sins,  and  concerned  to  maintain 
the  Honour  of  his  Majefty,  of  his  Law  and  Government 
and  facred  Authority  :  He  is  reprefented  as  having  Defigns 
of  Mercy  towards  a.fmful,  guilty,  ruined  World  ;  and  as 
contriving  and  propofmg  a  Method  of  Recovery  :  He  is 
reprefented  as  one  feated  on  a  Throne  of  Grace,  reconcila 
ble  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  and  feeking  to  reconcile  the  World 
to  himfelf  by  Chrift,  ordering  Pardon  and  Peace  to  be  pro 
claimed  thro'  a  guilty  World  to  any  and  all  who  will  return 
to  him  in  the  Way  prefcribed. —  The  Gofpd  reprefents  God 
the  Son,  as  being  conftituted  Mediator  by  his  Father,that  in 
and  by  him  he  might  open  a  Way  to  accomplifh  his  Des 

fign- 


250       True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

Itgns  of  Mercy  towards  a  guilty  World,  confident  with  the 
Honour  of  his  Majefty,  of  his  Holinefsand  Juftice,  of  his 
Law  and  Government.  His  Father  appointed  him  to  the 
Office,  and  he  freely  undertook  it.  His  Father  fent  him 
into  this  World  to  enter  upon  the  difficult  Work,  and  he 
willingly  came.  He  was  made  Flejh,  and  dwelt  among  us. 
Here  he  lived,  and  here  he  died,  in  the  Capacity  of  a  Me 
diator.  He  arofe,  he  afcended  into  Heaven,  and  fits  now 
at  his  Father's  right  Hand,  God-Man  Mediator,  exalted 
to  the  higheft  Honour,  made  Lord  of  all  Things,  and 
Judge  of  the  World.  And  now  we  are  to  have  Accefs  to 
God  by  him,  as  our  Mediator,  high  Prieft,  IntercefTor  and 
Advocate,  who  has  made  compleat  Atonement  for  %is  in 
the  Days  of  his  Abafemcnt,  and  has  now  fufficient  Intereft 

in  the  Court  of  Heaven. The  Gofpel  reprefents  God 

the  Holy  Ghofti  as  being  fent  of  the  Father  as  prime  Agent, 
and  by  the  Son  as  Mediator,  in  the  Character  of  an   En- 
lightner  &  Sanctifter:    in  order  to  bring  Sinners  effectually 
to  fee  and  be  ferifible  of  their  Sin,  Guilt,  and  Ruin,  to  be 
lieve  the  Gofpel,  to  truft  in  Chriil,  and  to  return  home  to 
God  thro'  him.     And  it  is  his  Office  to  dwell  in  Believers, 
to  teach  and  lead  them,  to  fanctify,  quicken,ftrengthen  and 
comfort  them,&  to  keep  them  thro'  Faith  untoSalvation. — 
The  Father  is  God  by  Nature,   and  God  by  Office  :  the 
Son  is  God  by  Nature,and  Mediator  by  Office.     The  Spirit 
is  God  by  Nature,  and  San&ifler  by  Office.     The  Father, 
as  Governour,  Lawgiver,  Judge  and  Avenger,has  allPower 
in  Heaven  and  Earth,  in  and  of  himfelf.  Matth.  n.  25, 
The  Son,  as  Mediator,   derives  all  his  Authority  from  the 
Father.  Matth.  1 1.  27.   The  Holy  Spirit  acts  as  being  fent 
by  them  both,  by  the  Father  as  fupreme  Governour  dealing 
with  a  finful,  guilty  World  thro'  a  Mediator  -,  by  the  Son  as 
Mediator  negociating  a  Reconciliation  betweenGod  &Man. 
Joh.  14.  1 6.  —  The  Father  maintains  the  Honour  of  the 
God-head,  and  of  his  Government,  and  difplays  his  Grace, 
while  he  ordains  that  Sin  mall  be  punifhed,  the  Sinner 
frumbled,  and  brought  back  to  God,  and  into  a  Subjection 
to  his  Will,  anfl  in  that  Way  be  pardoned  &  finally  faved. 
Sin  is  punifhecfin  the  Son  as  Mediator,  Handing  in  the 
Room  of  the  Qyilty.    Afld  the  Sinner  is.  humbled,  bro't 

back 


and  dtftmguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   251 

back  to  God,  and  into  a  Subje&ion  to  his  Will,  by  the 
J3.oly  Spirit  *,  and  in  this  Way  is  pardoned  and  faved.  And 
thus  the  Son  aad  the  Spirit  honour  the  Father  as  fupreme 
Governour,  and  all  join  in  the  fame  Defign  to  difcounte- 
nance  Sin,  humble  the  Sinner,  and  glorify  Grace.  Thus 

far  briefly  of  the  Do&rine  of  the  Trinity. Right  Ap- 

prehenfions  of  God  help  us  to  underftand  the  Law, 
and  right  Apprehenfions  of  the  Trinity  will  help  us  to  un 
derftand  the  Gofpel.  Not  how  they  are  three  Perfons  and 
yet  but  one  God,  the  Manner  of  which  is  not  needful  to  be 
known  ;  but  the  Offices  and  Characters  they  fuftain,  and 
the  different  Parts  they-  ad  in  the  great  Affair  of  faving 
Sinners. —  God  (fays  the  Text)  fo  loved  the  World^  that  he 
gave  his  only  begotten  Son  •,  that  whofoever  believeth  in  him* 
Ihould  not  perijh)  but  have  everlajiing  Life,  i."  e.  God  the  Fa 
ther,  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  whom  we  had 
offended  by  Sin— 

So  LOVED  the  Wortd i,  e.  with  a  Love  of  Bene 
volence.  Efteem  us  he  could  not  \  for  we  were  worthlefs 
and  vile  :  To  delight  in  us,  it  was  impofftble  ;  for  we  were 
altogether  odious  and  abominable.  But  to  have  a  Good 
will  towards  us,  or  a  Will  to  do  us  Good,  this  he  might 
have,  altho*  we  were  finful  and  guilty  :  Not  indeed  from 
any  Motive  in  us  ;  for  if  we  were  viewed,  and  our  Temper 
and  Circumilances  confidered,  there  was  not  to  be  feen 
one  Motive  to,  Pity,  no,  not  the  leaft  ;  but  every  Motive 
to  Indignation  and  Wrath.  However,  from  Motives  with 
in  himfelf,  he  might  will  to  do  us  Good,  notwithftanding 
our  Sin  and  Guilt.  The  felf-moving  Goodnefs  of  his  Na 
ture  did  excite  him,  from  the  good  Pleafure  of  his  Will,  to 
the  Praife  of  the  Glory  of  his  Grace,  to  defign  Mercy  to 
wards  a  finful,  guilty,  ruined  World. — God  fo  loved  theJ¥orld. 

The  WORLD  - —  i.  e.  all  Mankind,  all  thePoilerity 

of  Adam.  For  what  follows,  is  evidently  true,  of  every  In 
dividual  :  That  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son^  that  whofoever 
believes  in  him^Jhould  notperifh^  but  have  tverlafting  Life, 

SO  loved i.  e.  fo  inconceivably,  fo  unfpeakably. 

That  he  GAVE  his  only  begotten  Son —  i.  e.   of  his 

mere,  pure  Goodnefs  conftituted  him  .to  be  a  Mediator,  ap 
pointed-  hinrto  be  a  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  to  make  Atone 
ment 


252        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

ment  for  Sin  and  purchafe  divine  Favours,  and  fo  to  open 
a  Way  for  Sinners  to  return  to  God  with  Safety,  and  for 
God  to  fhew  Mercy  to  them  with  Honour.  God  fo  loved 
the  World,  i.  e.  all  the  Race  of  Adam*  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  immediately  upon  theApoftacy  of  Mankind; 
for  then  was  this  Seed  of  the  Woman  promifed,  (Gen.  3.  15.) 
that  all,  being  by  Nature  Children  of  Wrath,  might  be  pre 
vented  by  divine  Goodnefs.  God  faw  all  involved  in  Sin 
and  Guilt  and  Ruin,  by  Adanfs  firft  Sin  :  And  fo  he  pro 
vided  a  Saviour  for  all  -,  that  who  fo  ever  believes  in  kim^flwuld 
not  perijh,  but  have  ever  lofting  Life. 

Should  not  PEfilSH. He  viewed  all  Mankind  as 

finful  and  guilty,  loft,  undone  and  periming,  /'.  e.  expofed 
to  the  Wrath  of  God  and  Curfe  of  the  Law,  to  all,  the  Mi- 
feries  of  this  Life,  to  Death  it  felf,  and  to  the  Pains  of  Hell 
for  ever.  And  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son  to  be  a  Sa 
viour, 

That  whofoever  BELIEF E*TH  in  him, i.  e.  that 

ventures  upon  his  Atonement,  his  Worth  and  Merits,  his 
Mediation  and  Interceflion,  for  divine  Acceptance  •,  fo  as 
to  be  thence  emboldened  to  return  Home  to  God,  upon 

the  Invitation  of  the  Gofpel. That  all  fuch  Jhould  not 

periih, But 

Have  EVERLASTING  LIFE i.  e.  the  everlaft- 

ing  Indwelling  of  the  holy  Spirit  as  a  Sanftifier  and  Com 
forter,  to  be  a  never-failing  Spring  of  a  new,  a  fpiritual  and 
divine  Life  ;  everlafting  Union  and  Communion  with 
Chrift,  and  the  everlafting  Favour  and  Enjoyment  of  God 
thro'  him. 

Thus  we  have  in  thefe  Words  a  brief  View  of  the  glori 
ous  Gofpel  of  the  blefTed  God.  And  from  them  we  may 
learn,  (i.)  That  God,  the  great  Governourof  the  World, 
confidered  Mankind,  as  being  in  zferifbirig  Condition,  /.  e. 
finful,  guilty,  juftly  condemned,  helplefs  and  undone.  (2.) 
That  it  was  merely  from  Motives  within  himfelf^  that  he  has 
done,  what  he  has,  for  their  Recovery  out  of  this  State. 
(3.)  That  he  has  conftituted  his  Son  a  Mediator,  Redeemer 
and  Saviour,  that  thro'  him  Sinners  might  be  faved.  (4-) 
That  he  has  appointed  Faith  in  Chriify  to  be  the  Condition 
of  Salvation.—- —-Here  therefgre  I  will  endeavour  to  fhew, 

I.  Upon 


and  diftinguijh  edfrom  allCounterfeits.   2  5  3 

I.  Upon  what  Grounds  it  was,  that  God,   the  great  Go- 
vernour  of  the  World,  did  confider  Mankind,  as  being  in  a 
perijhing  Condition,  /.  e.  finful,  guilty,  juftly  condemned, 
helpleis  and  undone. 

II.  What  were  the  Motives^  which  excited  him  to  do, 
what  he  has  done,  for  their  Recovery. 

III.  What  Neceffity  there  was  of  a  Mediator  zndRedeemer, 
and  how  the  Way  to  Life  has  been  opened  by  him  whom 
God  has  provided. 

IV.  What  is  the  true  Nature  of  faving  Faith  in  Him. 
And  Ib  by  the  Whole,  to  explain  the  Nature  of  theGofpel, 
and  of  a  genuine  Compliance  therewith.  —  And  in  the  laft 
Place, 

V.  Will  confider  the  Promife  of  everlafting  Life  to  thofe 
who  believe. 

SECTION     I. 

Shewing  the  Reafbns  why  God  does  in  the 
Gofpel  confider  Mankind  as  being  in  a 
perifhing  Condition. 


I.  I  am  to  mew  upon  what  Grounds  it  was,  that 
the  great  Governour  of  the  World^  did  confider  Mankind  as 
being  in  a  perifhing  Condition^  i.  e.  (infill,  guilty,  juftly  con 
demned,  helplefs  and  undone,  -  That  he  did  confider 
Mankind  as  being  in  a  perifhing  Condition,  is  evident,  be- 
caufe  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  they  might  not 
ferijh  who  fhould  believe  in  him.  If  we  were  not  in  a 
perifhing  Condition,  his  giving  his  Son  to  fave  us  from 
Perdition  had  been  needlefs  :  and  his  pretending  greatLove 
and  Kindnefs  in  doing  fo,  had  been  to  affront  us  •,  to  make 
as  if  we  were  undone  Creatures,  when  we  were  not  •,  and 
as  if  we  were  much  beholden  to  him  for  his  Goodnefs, 
when  we  could  have  done  well  enough  without  it.  And 
the  more  he  pretends  of  his  great  Love  and  Kindnefs,  the 
greater  muft  the  Affront  be.  So  that,  however  we  look 
upon  our  felves,  'tis  certain  that  God,  who  fees  ail  Things 
as  being  what  -they  are>  -  did  actually  look  upon  .us,  as  in  a 

perilhing 


254         7 rue  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

perifhing,  loft,  undone  Condition. —  And  if  he  confidcrcd 
us  as  being  in  iuch  a  Condition,  it  mult  have  been  becaufe 
he  looked  upon  us  as  finful,  guilty,  juftly  condemned  and 
altogether  helplefs  ;  for  otherwife  we  \vere  not  in  a  perifh- 
ing  Condition.  If  we  could  have  helped  our  felves  a  little, 
we  fhould  not  have  needed  one  to  fave  us,  but  only  to 
help  us  to  fave  our  felves  :,  but  our  Salvation  in  Scripture 
is  always  attributed  wholly  to  God  ;  and  God  every  where 
takes  all  the  Glory  to  himfelf,  as  tho'  in  very  Deed  he  had 
deferved  it  all.  (Eph.  i.  3 — 6.  and  2.  i — 9.)  So  that  it  is 
certain,  God  did  look  uponMankind  as  being  in  a  perilhing 
Condition,  finful,  guilty,  juftly  condemned,  and  altogether 
helplefs  :  and  confidering  us  in  fuch  a  Condition,  he  enter 
ed  upon  his  Defigns  of  Mercy  and  Grace  •,  and  therefore 
he  every  where  magnifies  his  Love,  and  looks  upon  us  as 
infinitely  beholden  to  him,  and  under  infinite  Obligations 
to  afcribe  to  him  all  the  Glory  and  Praife,  even  quite  all. 

*fbat  no  Flejh  Jhould  glory  in  his  Pre fence. But  be  that 

glorieth)  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord,   i  Cor.  i.  29,  31. 

It  is  of  great  Importance  therefore,  that  we  come  to  look 
upon  our  felves  as  being  in  fuch  a  perifhing  Condition  too  -9 
for  otherwife  it  is  impoffible  we  fhould  ever  be  in  a  Difpo- 
fition  thankfully  to  accept  Gofpel-Grace,  as  it  is  offered 
unto  us.  We  mall  rather  be  offended,  as  thinking  the 
Gofpel  cafts  Reproach  upon  human  Nature,in  fuppofing  us 
to  be  in  fuchaforlornCondition,as  toftandinaperilhingNeed 
of  having  fo  much  done  for  us.  As  the  Jews  of  old  fcorned 
it,  when  Chrift  told  them,  If  they  would  become  his  Difciples, 
they  Jhould  knew  the  Truth,  and  the  Truth  Jhould  make  them 
free.  They  took  it  as  an  Affront,  and  were  ready  to  fay, 
"  What !  Juft  as  if  we  were  in  Bondage !  Indeed  no.  We 
"  were  never  in  Bondage  to  any  Man.  We  have  Abraham 
<c  to  our  Father,  and  God  is  our  Father  j  but  thou  haft  a 
M  Devil."  Joh.  8.  31 — 48.  They  would  not  underftand 
him,they  were  all  in  a  Rage.  And  fo  it  is  like  to  be  with  us, 
withRegard  to  the  Methods,  which  God  has  taken  with  us 
in  the  Gofpel,  unlefs  we  look  upon  our  felves  as  he  does, 
fo  wretched  and  miferable,  fo  poor,  blind  and  naked,  fo 
helplefs,  loft  and  undone.  It  is  the  want  of  this  Self- Ac 
quaintance,  together  with  $  fond  Notion  of  our  being  in  a 

much 


and  diflinguifoed from  all  Counterfeits  255 

much  better  Cafe  than  we  be,  that  raifes  fuch  a  mighty 
Cry  againft  the  Do&rines  of  Grace,  thro'  a  proud,  impeni 
tent,  guilty  World, 

And  fince  God  does  thus  look  upon  us  to  be  in  fuch  a 
perifhing  Condition,  and  upon  this  Suppofition  enters  on 
his  Defigns  of  Mercy  and  Grace,  here  now  therefore  does 

the  Queflion  recur, Upon  what  Grounds  is  it,  that  he 

conjiders  us   as  being    in  fuch  a  perijhing  Condition  ? • 

Grounds  he  muft  have,  and  good  Grounds  too,  or  he  would 
never  thus  look  upon  us.  If  we  may  rightly  underfland 
what  they  be,  perhaps  we  may  come  to  look  upon  our 
felves  as  he  does  ;  and  then  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpel  will 
begin  to  appear  to  us,  in  the  fame  Light  it  does  to  him. 
TheGrounds  then,  are  as  follows. 

i .  God  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  does  in  the 
Gofpel  confider  Mankind  as  being  guilty  of  Adam's  firft  Sin9 
and  on  that  Account  to  be  in  a  perifhing  Condition.  In 
Adam  all  died)  ( i  Cor. .15.  22.)  But  Death  is  the  Wages  of 
Sin:  (Rom.  6.  23.)  Therefore  in  Adam  all  finned.  For  by 
one  Mem  Sin  entered  into  the  World,  and  Death  by  Sin  ;  and  Jo 
Death  paffed  upon  all  Men,  for  that  all  have  Jinned.  i.  e.  fin 
ned  in  Adam.  (Rom,  5.  12. )  for  (f.  19. )  By  one  Man9 s 
Dij obedience  many  were  made  Sinners.  And  accordingly  by  the 
Offence  of  one,  Judgment  came  upon  all  Men  to  Condemnation. 
And  hence  all  are  by  Nature  Children  of  Wrath. (E.^}\.  2.  3.) 

OBJ.  But  how  can  we  be  guilty  of  Adam's  fir  ft  Sin  ?  It 
was  he  committed  it,  and  not  we  ;  and  that  without  our  Con 
fent,  and  a  long  tfime  before  we  were  born. 

ANS.  Adam,  by  divine  Appointment,  flood  and  acted  as 
our  publick  Head.  He  flood  a  Reprefentative  in  theRoom 
of  all  his  Poflerity  ;  and  accordingly  acted  not  only  for 
himfelf,  but  for  them.  His  fuftaining  this  Character  ren 
dered  him  a  Type  of  Chrifl,  thefecond  Adam,  who  has  bid 
down  his  Life  in  the  Room  andSteai  of  Sinners.  And  his 
being  fpoken  of  in  Scripture  as  a  Type  of  Chrifl  with  Ref- 
pect  to  this  Character  of  a  publick  Head,  proves  that  he  did 
actually  fuflain  fuch  a  Character.  (Rom.- 5.  14.)  And  there 
fore  as  by  the  Obedience  of  Chrifl y  many  are  mack  Righte 
ous  •,  fo  by  the  Difobedience  of  Adam,  many  are  made  Sin 
ners.  (y%  19.)  i.  e.  by  the  Imputation  of  Chrift's  Obedience 

Believers 


256          True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  IL 

Believers  become  legally  righteous  *,  righteous  in  the  Sight 
of  God  by  Vertue  of  an  eitablifhed  Conftitution  \  and  fo 
have  the  Reward  of  eternal  Life  :  So  by  the  Imputation  of 
Adam's  firft  Sin,  his  Poilerity  by  ordinary  Generation,  be 
came  legally  Sinners,  Sinners  in  the  Sight  of  God  by  Ver 
tue  of  an  eitablifhed  Conftitution,  and  fo  are  expofed  to  the 
Punifhment  of  eternal  Death,  the  proper  Wages  of  Sin. 
Now  it  is  true,  we  did  not  PERSONALLY  rife  in  Rebellion  a- 
gainft  God  in  that  firft  Tranfgreffion,  but  he  who  did  do  it 
was  our  Reprefentative.  We  are  Members  of  the  Commu 
nity  he  a6ted  for,  and  God  confiders  us  as  fuch  -,  and  there 
fore  looks  upon  us  as  being  legally  guilty,  and  liable  to  be 
dealt  with  accordingly  :  And  fo  on  this  Account  in  a  pe- 
riihing  Condition.  But  perhaps  fome  will  (till  be  ready  to 
fay,  '"  And  where  is  thejuftice  of  all  this  ?"  Methinks  the 
following  Confiderations,  if  we  will  he  difmtereftedly  inv 
partial,  may  fet  the  Matter  in  a  fatisfying  Light. 

( i.)  That  the  original  Conftitution  made  with  Adam,  as.  to 
bimfelf  perfonally  confider  ed,  was  holy,juft  and  good. 

(2.)  That  if  all  his  Pofterity  had  been  put  under  the  fame 
'Conftitution,  one  by  one ',  from  Age  to  Age,  as  they  came  intoBe- 
ing,  to  aft  for  themjehes,  it  had  alfo  been  holy,juft  and  good. 

(3.)  That  it  was,  in  the  Nature  of  the  Thing,  in  all  Ref- 
fefts,  as  well  for  our  Inter  eft,  that  Adam  Jkould  be  made  our 
fublickHead  &?  Reprefentative,  to  aft  not  only  for  hiwfelf,  but 
for  all  his  Pofterity,  as  that  we  Jhould  each  ft  and  and  aft  for 
himfelf  fingly  ;  and  in  fome  Reffefts  better. 

(4.)  That  in  fuch  a  Cafe,  God,  asfufreme  Lord  and  fove- 
reign  Governour  of  the  whole  JVorld,  had  full  Power  and  right- 
ful  Authority  to  conftitute  Adam  our  common  Head  and  pub- 
lick  Reprefentative^  to  aft  in  our  Behalf. Let  us  there 
fore  diftindly  confider  thefe  Particulars. 

(i.)  It  is  to  be  noted,  the  original  Conftitution  made 
with  Adam,  (Gen.  2.  17.)  as  to  himfelf  ferfonally  conftdered^ 
was  holy,  juft  and  good,  as  will  appear  if  we  confider  the 
Circumftances  he  was  under,  antecedent  to  thatConftitution 
or  Covenant.  For, 

In  tkejirft  Place,  Antecedent  to  that  Covenant-Tranfac- 
tion,  he  was  under  infinite  Obligations  from  the  Reafon 
and  Nature  of  Things,  to  lore  God  with  all  his  Heart  and 

obey 


and  diftinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  257 

obey  him  in  every  Thing.  From  the  infinite  Excellence  and 
Beauty  of  the  divine  Nature,  and  from  God's  original,  en 
tire  Right  to  him,  as  his  Creature,  and  abfolute  Authorky 
over  him,  as  his  .'Subject,  did  his  infinite  Obligation  fo  to 
do,  neceflarily  arife.  It  was  jit,  it  was  infinitely  fit  and 
right,  that  he  ihould  look  upon  the  infinitely  glorious  God 
his  Maker  and  Governour,  as  being  what  he  >vas,  and  as 
havinp;  fuch  a  Right  to  him  and  Authority  over  him  as  he 
had,  arri  that  he  fhouid  be  affefted  and  aR  accordingly,  an 
tecedent  to  the  Confideration  of  any  Covenant-Tranfaction. 
And  no  Doubt,  this  was  actually  the  Cafe  with  him,  be 
fore  that  Covenant  was  made  •,  tor  he  was  created  in  the 
Image  of  God,  (Gen.  i.  27.)  And  fo  his  Heart  was  full  of 
a  Senfe  of  his  Glory,  and  of  admiring  and  adoringTho'ts  : 
He  ft- It  that  he  was  not  his  own,  but  the  Lord's  •,  and  he 
loved  him  and  was  entirely  devoted  to  him,  in  the  Temper 
of  his  Mind,  cpnfcious  of -the  infinite  Obligations  he  was 

under  thereto. And  farther,    'tis  certain  that  God  was 

the  fole  Lord  and  Owner   of  this  lower  World,  and  all 
Things  in  it  •,  and  that  Adam  had  no  Right  to  any  Thing 

but  by  a  divine  Grant. And  'tis  certain,  it  was  fit  that 

Adam  fhouid  be  put  into  a  State  of  ^rial^  and  that  God 
had  Authority  to  do  it. 

And  now  fince  he  was  naturally  under  fuch  infinite  Ob 
ligations  to  love  and  obey  God  his  Maker,  God  the  fu- 
preme  Lord  and  fovereign  Governour  of  all  Things  ;  fince 
he  had  no  Right  to  any  of  the  Trees  of  the  Garden,  but  by 
the  free  Grant  of  God  •,  and  fince  it  was  fit  he  fhouid  be 
put  into  a  State  of  Trial,  and  God  had  Authority  to  do  it : 
Since  thefe  Things  were  fo,  it  is  evident,  that  Conftitutioa 
was  HOLY,  In  the  Day  thou  eateft  thereof,  thoujloalt  furely 
die.  God  had  a  Right  to  make  fuch  a  Law  ;  for  Adam 
was  his,  and  all  the  Trees  in  the  Garden  were  his,  and  he 
was  by  Nature  GOD,  SUPREME  LORD  AND  SOVE 
REIGN  GOVERNOUR  of  the  whole  World,  and  it  was 
fitting  he  fhouid  act  as  fuch  :  And  it  was  infinitely  fit  thac 
Adam  mould  have  a  facred  Regard  to  his  Authority  in  all 
Things,  becaufe  he  was  fuch  •,  and  that  his  eternal  Welfare 
fhouid  lie  at  Stake,  and  be  fufpended  upon  his  good  Beha 
viour.— — And  no  Doubt  Adam^  viewed  Things  thus,  and 

S  was 


258         True  Religion  delineated    Di s .  II. 

was  thoro*iy  fenfible  that  God  had  a  Right  to  prohibit  that 
Tree  upon  Fain  of  Death,  and  that  he  was  under  infinite 
Obligations  to  have  a  moft  facred  Regard  to  hit  Will  in 
that  Matter.  Thus  that  Conftitution  was  Holy. 

And  if  we  confider,  in  the  next  Place  ^  that,  as  has  been 
obferved,  Adam  was  under  infinite  Obligations  to  love  God 
his  Maker  with  all  his  Heart,  and  obey  him  in  everyThing, 
refulting  from  the  very  Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things,  it 
will  appear  that  the  "Threatmngwas  jufi  ;  and  no  more  than 
what  he  muft  have  expe&ed,  had  he  fallen  into  any  Sin 
whatfoever,  antecedent  to  any  Constitution  at  all. — Adam^ 
in  £  State  of  pure  Nature^  i,  e.  prior  to  any  Covenant-Tranf- 
flftion.)  was  under  infinite  Obligations  to  perfect  Love  and 
perfect  Obedience  \  the  leaft  Defect  therefore  muft  have 
been  infinitely  finful  -9  and  fo  by  Confequence  muft  have 
deferved  an  infinite  Punifhment.  And  it  was  meet  that 
God  the  Governour  of  the  World  fhould  punifh  Sin  accord 
ing  to  it's  realDcfert :  in  the  Nature  of  Things  it  was  meet, 
antecedent  to  any  exprefs  Declaration  of  his  Defign  to  do 
fo,  And  Adam  knew  all  this.  He  knew  what  Obligations 
he  was  under  to  God,  to  love  him  with  all  his  Heart  and 
obey  him  in  every  Thing  \  and  by  Confequence,  he  was 
confcjous  to  himielf  that  the  leaft  Defect  would  be  an  infi 
nite  Evil,  and  fo  would  deferve  an  infinite  Punifhment ; 
and  he  knew  that  it  was  the  Nature  of  God  to  render  to 
every  one  according  to  their  Deferts :  he  was  certain  there 
fore,  from  the  Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things,  antecedent 
to  that  Threatning,  that  the  leaft  Sin  would  expofe  him  to 

an  infinite  Punifhment.- From  this  View  of  the  Cafe, 

it  is  plain,  that  that  'Threatning  wasjuft^nd  Adam  did  rnoft 

perfectly  approve  of  it  as  fuch. It  was  no  more  than 

k  was  reafonable  for  Adam  to  expect,  and  meet  for  God  to 
inflict,  for  any  Tranfgreffion  of  the  Law  of  Nature.  And 
it  was  againft  the  Law  of  Nature,  for  Adam  to  eat  the  for* 
bidden  Fruit,  when  once  God  had  faid,  he  fhould  not.  It 
was  a  practical  denying  of  God's  Supremacy,  and  cafting 
off  his  Authority,  and  an  actually  fetting  up  of  his  Will 
ftgainft  the  Lord's,  If  any  Sin  therefore  deferted  an  infi 
nite  Punifhmem,  finely;  that  did, 

Remark, 


and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counter  felts.   259 

Remark.  And  here  by  the  Way,  from  this  View  of  the 
Cafe,  we  may  gain  a  certain  Knowledge  of  what  God  meant. 
byfThouJhalt  furely  die  •,  or  as  it  is  in  theOriginal,  In  dying 
thou  Jhalt  die  ;  and  may  be  certain  htiwAdam  underftood  it. 
— He  did  not  mean,  that  Adam  fhould  be  annihilated  ;  for 
fuch  a  Punifh  merit  was  not  equal  to  theCrime.  He  might 
without  Injuftice  have  annihilated  Adamy  had  he  remained 
innocent  ;  for  he  that  gives  Being  of  his  mere  good  Plea- 
fure,  may  of  his  mere  good  Pleafure  take  it  away  again. 
Nor  could  Adam  have  brought  God  into  Debt  by  a  thou- 
fand  Years  perfect  Obedience  -,  for  he  owed  himfelf  and 

all  he  could  do,  to  God  his  Maker.  Rom.  1 1.  35. God 

meant  to  punifh  Adam  according  to  his  Deferts  ;  but  Anni 
hilation  would  not  have  been  fuch  a  Punimment :  And 
therefore  it  is  certain  that  this  was  not  what  God  meant. 
Adam  knew  that  Sin  was  an  infinite  Evil,  and  fo  defer ved 
an  infinite  Punimment,  and  that  it  was  meet  it  fhould  be 
punifhed  according  to  it's  Deferts,  and  that  it  was  the  Na 
ture  of  God  to  do  fo  •,  but  Annihilation  was  not  fuch  a  Pu 
nimment,  and  Adam  could  not  but  know  it  :  And  there- 
tore  Adam  could  not  underftand  Death  in  this  Senfe. 

God  meant  to  punifh  Adam  according  to  his  Deferts.  And 
what  did  he  deferve  ?  Why,  an  infinite  Puniftiment, 
i.  e.  to  have  all  Good  taken  away,  and  all  Kinds  of  Evil 
come  upon  him  for  ever.  Well,  what  Good  had  Adam  in 
Poffeflion  !  Why,  he  had  a  natural  Life,  refulting  from  the 
Union  of  hisSoul  and  Body,  with  all  theDelights  andSweet- 
nefles  thereof :  And  he  had  zjpiritual  Life,  refwlting  from 
the  gracious  Influences  of  the  holy  Spirit,  and  confuting 
in  the  Image  of  God  and  Senfe  of  his  Love,  with  all  theDe 
lights  andSweetnefTes  thereof:  And  he  was  formed  forlm- 
mortality,  and  fo  was  in  a  Capacity  of  eternal  Life  and 
BlefTetlnefs  in  glorifying  God  and  enjoying  of  him.  Here 
therefore  he  was  capable  of  a  natural^  zfpiritual  and  anf- 
ternal  Death  •,  to  have  Soul  and  Body  rent  afunder  for  ever, 
to  be  forfaken  by  the  Spirit  of  God  and  given  up  to  the 
Power  of  Sin  and  Satan  for  ever,  and  to  have  God  Al 
mighty  become  his  everlafting  Enemy. All  this  he 

deferved  •,  and  therefore  God  meant  all  this.  All  this  he 
knew  he  fhould  deferve  5  and  therefore  he  could  not  but 

S  2 


260          True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 


underhand  the  Threatning  to  comprehend  all  this. 

Befides,that  which  makes  it  ftill  more  certain,  that  this  was 
the  Meaning  of  that  firfl  Thi  earning,  is,  thatGod  hasfmce 
very  exprefly  threatned  eternal  Death  as  the  Wages  of  the 
leaftSin.  Rom  i.  18.  Gal.  3.  10.  Matt.  25.  46.  (  And  the 
Word  DEATH  it  felf  is  plainly  ufed  to  fignify  eternal 
•Death  and  Mifery.  Rcm.  6.  23.  Rom.  8.  13, )  So  that  either 
now  he  means  to  punifh  Sin  more  than  it  defer  ves,  or  he 
intended  then  to  punifh  Sin  lefs  than  it  deferved,  or  elfe 
eternalDeath  was  what  he  always  meant,  by  threatningD^?/£ 
as  the  Wages  of  Sin.  If  he  means  to  punifh-Sin  now  more 
than  he  did  then,  it  is  too  much  now,  or  not  enough  then  ; 
both  which  are  equally  contrary  to  the  Reafon  and  Nature 
of  Things,  and  equally  inconfiftent  with  the  impartial  Juf- 
tice  of  the  divine  Nature,  which  always  inclines  him  to 
render  to  every  one  according  to  their  Defer ts,  nor  more, 
nor  lefs  :  And  therefore  eternal  Death  was  intended  in  that 
firft  Threatning.  But  this  by  the  Way. 

And,  Laftlyi  as  that  Conilitution  was  holy  and  juft,  fo 
alfo  it  was  Good.  Becaufe  it  put  Adam  (  perfonally  confi- 
dered)  under  better  Circumilances  than  he  was  before.  For 
while  in  a  State  of  pure  Nature,  perfect  Obedience  could 
not  have  given  him  any  Title  to  eternal  Life  •,  but,  as  was 
faid  before,  God  might  have  annihilated  him  at  Pleafure, 
after  a  Hundred,  or  a  Thoufand,  or  ten  Thoufand  Years, 
without  any  Injuftice  to  him.  (Job  22.  z.Rc'm.ii.  35.)  But 
now  under  this  Conilitution  he  had  an  AiTurance  ot  eternal 
Life  upon  perfect  Obedience.  For  inafmuch  as  God  threat 
ned  Death  inCafe  he  fhould  fin,  it  is  evidently  implied  that 
he  fhould  have  lived  for  ever  in  Cafe  he  had  been  obedient. 
So  that  there  was  infinite  Goodnefs  manifefted  to  Adam 
(  perfonally  confidered  )  in  this  Conflitution,  eternal  Life 
being  thus  promifed  of  mere  unmerited  Bounty.  And  be- 
fides,  after  a  While  his  State  of  Trial  would  have  been  at 
an  End,  and  he  confirmed  in  an  immutable  State  of  Holi- 
nefs  and  Happinefs  •,  of  which  Confirmation  the  Tree  of 
Life  feems  to  have  been  defigned  as  a  facramental  Sign.Gen.. 
3.  22.  Rev.  2.  7.  and  22. 14.  Whereas  had  he  remained 
in  a  State  of  pure  Nature,  he  muft  have  been  everlaftingly 
in  a  Stftte  of  Probation,  had  it :  pleafed  his  Maker  to  have 

continued 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  261 

continued  him  in:  Being.  So  that,  upon  the  Whole,  it  is 
plain,  this  Cqnftitution,  as  to  Adam  perfonally  confidered, 
was  holy^  juft  za&good.  And  wdam  had  great  Reafon,  with 
all  his  .Heart  to  give  Thanks  to  God  his  Maker,  for  his 
Goodnefs  andCondefcenfion,  that  he  would  be  fo  kind  and 
(loop  fo  low,  as  to  enter  into  fuch  a  Covenant  with  aWorm 
of  the  Duit :  And  no  Doubt,  he  did  fo  with  the  fincereft 
Gratitude.  We  proceed  therefore  to  confider, 

(2.)  That  if  all  his  Pofterity  had  been  put  under  this  fame 
Conftitution,  one  by  one^  from  Age  to  Age,  as  they  came  into 
Being)  toaftfingly  for  themf elves  ^  it  had  alfo,  as  to  them^havt 
been  HOLT,  JUST  and  GOOD.  As  it  was  better  for  Adam 
than  a  State  of  pure  Nature,  fo  it  would  have  been  for  the 
fame  Reafon  better  for  us.  We  (had  we  remained  in  a  State 
of  pure  Nature,  i.e.  without  any  Confutation  at  all)  fhould 
have  been  each  one  of  us  under  the  fame  infinite  Obligation 
to  perfect  Obedience  to  the  Law  of  Nature,  and  equally 
expofcd  to  the  fame  infinite  Punifhment  for  the  leaft  Sin,  as 
he  was,  and  as  much  without  a  Title  to  Life  upon  perfect 
Obedience,  and  as  liable  to  be  everlaftirigly  in  a  State  of 
Probation.  And  therefore  fuch  a  Conftitution  would  have 
been  as  great  a  Favour  to  us,  as  it  was  to  him  -,  and  we 
equally  under  Obligations  to  Gratitude  and  Thankfulnefs 
to  God  therefor.  But, 

(3.)  //  was  as  well  for  our  Inter  eft,  in  the  Nature  of  the 
Thing,  in  all  Refpefts,  that  Adam  Jhould  be  made  a  publick 
Head  and  Representative  Jo  aft  not  only  for  bimfelfjut  for  all 
his  Pofterity^  as  if  we  had  been  put  to  attfingly  for  our  f elves  \ 
and  infome  Refpefts  better.  For,  Adam  was,in  the  Nature  of 
the  Thing,  in  all  Refpects,  as  likely  to  (land,  as  any  of  us 
fhould  have  been,  and  in  fome  Refpects  more  likely.  For 
he  had  as  good  natural  Powers,  as  much  of  the  Image  of 
God,  and  as  great  a  Senfe  of  his  Obligations,  as  any  of  us 
fhould  have  had  •,  and  had  in  all  Refpects  as  many  Motives 
to  Watchfulnefs  ;  and  in  fome  Refpects  more, — in  that  not 
/only  his  own  everlafting  Welfare  lay  at  Stake,  but  alfo  the 
everlafting  Welfare  of  all  his  Pofterity  too.  Befides,  he 
had  juft  received  the  Law  from  God's  own  Mouth,  and  he 
was  in  a  State  of  perfect  Manhood  when  his-  Trial  beg<m. 
So  that  upon  tjie  whole,  in  the  Nature  of  the  Thing,  it 

S  3  was 


2 62         "True  Religion  defalcated      Dis.  II. 

was  more  likely  he  fhould  ftand,than  that  any  of  us  ihould  -, 
and  therefore  it  was  more  for  our  Intereft,that  he  mould  aft 
for  us,than  we  for  ourfelves. — But  if  we  had  been  put  to  ad 
fingly  for  our  felves  under  fuch  a  Conftitution,  it  had  been 
much  better  than  to  be  left  in  a  State  of  pure  Nature,  and 
fo  we  mould  have  had  great  Caufe  of  Thankfulnefs  to  God 
for  his  Condefcenfion  and  Goodnefs  ;  but  to  have  Adam 
appointed  to  aft  for  us,  was  in  the  Nature  of  the  Thing, 
flill  more  to  our  Advantage  ;  on  the  Account  of  which,  we 
have  therefore  ftillgreaterCaufe  of  Thankfulnefs  to  the  good 
Governour  of  the  World.  It  is  infinite  Wickednefs  there 
fore,  to  fly  in  the  Face  of  Almighty  God,  and  charge  him 
with  Unrighteoufnefs,  for  appointing  Adam  our  Head  and 
Reprefentative.  We  ought  rather  to  fay,  "  The  Conftitu- 
"  tion  was  holy,  juft  and  good,  yea,  very  good  ;  but  to 
"  us  belongs  Shame  and  Confufion  of  Face,  for  that  we 
"  have  finned." 

OBJ.  But  God  knew  how  it  would  turn  out^  he  knew  Adam 
•would  fall  and  undo  himfelf  and  all  his  Race. 

ANSW.  When  God  called  Abraham ',  and  chofc  him  and 
his  Seed  for  his  peculiar  People,  to  give  them  diftinguifh- 
ing  Advantages  and  Privileges,  and  that  profefTediy  un 
der  the  Notion  of  great  Kindnefs  and  unfpeakable  Good 
nefs  ;  yet  at  the  fame  Time  he  knew  how  they  would  turn 
out,  how  they  would  be  a  itiff-necked  People,  and  would 
kill  his  Prophets,  his  Son  and  Apoilles,  and  fo  be  caft  off 
from  being  his  People.  He  knew  all  this  before-hand^  yet 
that  altered  not  the  Nature  of  the  Thing  at  all ;  did  not 
dirninifh  his  Goodnefs,  nor  leflcn  his  Grace.  And  the 
Jwvijh  Nation  at  this  Day  haveReafon  to  fay,  £C  TheLord's 

Ways  have  been  Ways  of  Goodnefs,  and  bleficd  be  his 
"  Name  •,  but  to  us  belongs  Shame  and  Confufion  oiFace, 
"  for  that  we  have  finned." 

OBJ.  Yesy  but  God  decreed  that  Adam  Jhould  fall. 

ANSW.  He  did  not  decree  that  Adam  Ihould  fall,  any 
more  than  he  did,  that  the  Seed  of  Abraham  mould  turn 
put  iuch  a  {tiff-necked,  rebellious  Race.  He  decreed  to 
permit  both  to  do  as  they  did  •,  but  this  neither  lefiens  his 
O'oodjiefs,  nor  their  Sin  :  for  God  is  not  obliged  to  put 
^ures  under  fuch  Circumilances  as  chat  they  mall 

never 


and  diftinguljhed from  all.  Counterfeits.  263 

never  be  tempted  nor  tried  ;  and  when  they  are  tried,  he  is 
not  obliged  to  keep  them  from  falling  :  it  is  enough,  that 
they  have  fufficient  Power  to  ftand  if  they  will ;  which 
was  the  Cafe  with  Adam. — Befides,  God  had  wife  Ends  in 
permiting  Adam  to  fall ;  for  he  defigned  to  take  Occafion 
therefrom  to  difplay  all  his  glorious  Perfections  in  the  moft 
illuftrious  Manner*  So  that  we  may  fay  of  it  (and  fliould, 
if  we  loved  God  above  our  felves)  as  Jofeph  does  of  his 
Brethren's  felling  him,  Te  meant  it  for  Evil,  but  the  Lord 
meant  it  for  Good  :  So  here,  Satan  meant  it  for  Evil,  but 
God  meant  it  for  Good  -9  even  to  bring  much  Glory  to  his 
greatName.  Therefore  be  ftill,and  adore  his  holy  Sovereign 
ty.  And  at  the  fame  time  acknowledge,  that  the  Conftituti- 
on,  in  its  pwnNature,  was  holy,  juft  and  good, — Yea,  very 
good.-*—  Thefe  Thing,s  being,  confidered,  I  proceed  to  add, 
(4.)  tfbat  in  f neb  a  Cafe,  God,  as  fupreme  Lord  andfove- 
reign  Governour  of  the  whole  World,  had  full  Power  and 
rightful  Authority  to  conftitute  Adam  our  common  Head  and 
publick  Reprefentative,  to  aft  in  our  Behalf,  For,  as  the  Cafe 
flood,  there  could  be  no  reafonable  Objection  againft  it, 
.  Adam  was  not  held  up  to  hard  Terms.  The  Threatnmg 
in  Cafe  of  Difobedience  was  ftrictly  juft.  The  Conftitution 
in  it's  own  Nature  was  vaftly  for  the  Interefl  of  Adam  and 
of  all  his  Race.  Adam  was  already  eonftituted  the  natural 
Head  of  all  Mankind  ;  for  God  bleffed  him,  faying^  Be  fruit* 
ful  and  multiply  and  replenijh  the  Earth.  Gen.  i.  28.  All 
his  Race,  had  they  then  exifted,  would,  if  they  had  been 
wife  for  themfelves,  readily  have  confented  to  fuch  a  Con 
ftitution,  as  being  well  adapted  to  the  general  Good,  (  So 
Men  are  wont  to  do,  when  their  Eftates  lie  at  Stake,  or  their 
Lives  ;  if  they  think  that  an  Attorney  is  likely  to  manage 
the  Cafe  for  them  better  than  they  can  for  themfelves,  they 
will  choofe  him,  and  venture  the  Cafe  with  him,  rather 
than  with  themfelves.)  So  that  the  only  Queftion  is,  whe 
ther  God  had,  in  fo  unexceptionable  a  Cafe,  full  Power 
and  rightful  Authority  to-  conftitute  Adam  a  publickHead, 
to  ftand  as  a  moral  Reprefentative  for  all  his  Race  and  act 
in  their  Behalf,  ib  that  they  fhould  ftand  and  fait  with 
him  ?•  Or  in  other  Words,  (  for  it  all  comes  to  the  fame 
Thing)  whether  in  any  Cafe  whatfoever,God  has  full  Powa 

S  4 


264          True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  IL 

and  rightful  Authority  to  appoint  one  to  Hand  and  act 
in  the  Room  of  another,  ib  as  to  lay  a  Foundation  for  the 
Conduct  of  the  one  to  be  fo  imputed  to  the  other,  as  that 
both  mail  ftand  and  fall  together  ?  And  fo  it  is  as  much  of 
a  Queftion,  whether  God  had  Power  and  Authority  to 
conftitute  the  fecond  Adam  a  publick  -Head,  as  the  frfi  ? 
if  God  had  not  full  Power  and  rightful  Authority,  to  ap 
point  the  firft  Adam  to  be  our  publick  Head  and  moral 
Reprefentative,  to  ftand  and  act  in  our  Behalf,  fo  as  to  lay 
a  Foundation  for  his  Conduct  to  be  fo  imputed  to  us,  as 
that  we  mould  ftand  and  fall  with  him  :  ^bm  he  had  not 
full  Power  and  rightful  Authority,  to  appoint  the  feccndAdam 
to  be  a  publick  Head  and  moral  Reprefentative,  to  ftand 
and  act  in  the  Room  of  a  guilty  World,  fo  as  to  lay  a  Foun 
dation  for  his  Righteoumefs  to  be  fo  imputed  to  them  that 
believe  in  him,  as  that  they  ihould  be  juftifled  and  faved 
thro'  it.  For  if  God  has  not  Power  to  conftitute  one  to 
ftand  and  acl  in  the  Room  of  another,  in  any  Cafe  whatfo- 
ever ;  and  if  on  this  Foot,  we  fay  he  had  not  Power  to  ap 
point  thefrft  Adam^  'tis  plain  that  on  the  fame  Foot,  he 
had  no  Power  to  appoint  fat  fecond.  I  fuppofe  it  will  be 
readily  granted,  that  if  God  has  Power,  in  any  Cafe 
whatfoever,  to  conftitute  one  to  ftand  and  acl:  in  the 
Room  of  another,  in  the  Manner  aforefaid  ;  then  he  had  in 
thefe  two  Inftances  of  Adam  and  Cbrift*  which  are  doubt- 
lefs,  on  ail  Accounts,  in  themfelves,  moft  unexceptionable. 
But  if  God,  in  no  Cafe  whatfoever,  has  Power  to  appoint 
one  thus  to  ftand  and  act  in  the  Room  of  another,  then 
both  thefe  Conftitutions  are  effectually  undermined  and 
render'd  null  and  void.  We  can  neither  be  guilty  c£  Adam's 
iirft  Sin,  fo  as  juftly  to  be  expo  fed  to  Condemnation  and 
Ruin  therefor  ;  nor  can  the  Righteoufnefs  of  Cbrtjt  be 
fo  imputed  to  us,  as  to  intitle  us  to  Juftification  and  Life. 
One  Man's  Difobedience  cannot  conftitutt  many  to  be  Sin 
ners,  nor  the  Obedience  of  one  conftitute  many  to  be  righ 
teous.  We  can  neither  be  ruined  by  the  frft  Adam^  nor 
redeemed  by  the  fecond.  Under  the  Jewi/b  Difpenfation 
it  was  ordained  (  Lev.  16.)  that  Aaron  jhould  lay  both  Ins 
Hands  upon  the  Head  of  the  live-Goat,  and  confefs  ever  him 
ail  the  Iniquities  of  the  ^Children  cf  ljr#e/>  and  all  their  Trdnf- 

grejpons 


and dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   265 

greflions  in  all  their  Sins,  putting  them  upon  the  'Head  of  the 
Goat,  and  fend  him  away  by  the  Hand  of  a  ft  Man  into  the 
Wildernejs.  And  (fays  God)  the  Goat  /hall  bear  upon  him 
all  their  Iniquities,  unto  a  Land  not  inhabited.  We  u  fed  to 
to  think,  this  fcape-Goat  was  defigned  by  God  to  typify 
Chrift.  And  the  Scripture  has  taught  us  in  exprefs  Lan 
guage,  that  the.  Iniquities  of  us  all  were  laid  on  hirft,  that  he 
bare  our  Sins^  that  he  was  made  a  Cur fe  for  us,  that  by  his 
Obedience  many  arc  wade  righteous.  (If at.  53.  6.  Pet.  2.  24. 
Gal.  3.  13.  Rom.  $.  iq.)  But  if  God  has  not  Authority  to 
conftitute  one  to  ftanrd  and  ad  in  the  Room  of  another, 
this  muft  all  be  void  and  of  none  Efted.  And  thus  while 
Men  are  diiputing  againft  the  original  COnftitution  with 
Adam,  they  unawares  undermine  this  fecond  Conftitution, 
which  is  the  Foundation  of  all  our  Hopes.  Eager  to  avoid 
Adam's  firft  Sin,  whereby  comes  Condemnation  -,  they.ien-  ^ 
der  of  none  Effed .  Chrift's  Righteoufnefs,  whereby  cdmes 
J uflification.  And  if  Chrift  did  not  Hand  and  act  as  a 
publick  Perfon,  if  our  Sins  were  not  laid  upon  hinv  if  he 
did  not  bare  them  on  the  Tree,  if  he  was  not  made  a  Curie 
for  us,  and  if  we  are  not  to  be  pardoned  thro'  his  Atone 
ment  and  juftiried  thro'  his  Righteoufnefs,  then  the  Gofpel 
is  all  a  Fabie,  and  the  whole  Scheme  of  our  Salvation  there 
in  revealed  is  wholly  overthrown.  What  remains  therefore 
but  Deifm  and  Infidelity  ?  But  in  as  much  as  we  have  full 
Evidence  to  the  Truth  of  the  Chriftian  Revelation,  and 
may  be  allured  that  it  is  from  God,  we  may  therefore  be 
confirmed  in  it,  that  Jefus  Chrift  has  been  by  God  the  great 
Governour  of  the  World  appointed  a  publick  Perfon,  to 
Hand  and  ad,  to  obey  and  fuffer  in  our  Room,  that  thro* 
his  Obedience  and  Sufferings  we  might  have  Pardon  and 
eternal  Life.  And  from  this  Fad  we  may  be  allured,  that 
God  has  full  Power  and  rightful  Authority  to  conftitute 
one  to  ftand  and  ad  in  the  Room  of  another.  And  if  he 
has  fuch  Authority,  nothing  hinders  but  that  he  might 
conftitute  Adam  to  be  our  publick  Head,  as  has  been  faid. 
Befides,  if  we  confider  the  Nature  of  the  Thing  it  felf,  it 
is  plain  that  God  had  Power  to  conftitute  Adam  our  pub- 
lick  Head.  For  God  as  moral  Governour  of  the  World 
and  fovereign  Lord  of  all  Things  has  Power  to  make  any 

Conftitution 


266       True  Religion  delineated       'Dis.  II, 

Conftitution  whatsoever,  vrhich  does  in  it's  own  Nature 
agree  to  the  eternal  Fitnefs  of  Things,  or  in  other.  Words, 
which  is  agreeable  to  his  own  Perfe&ions.  But  all  will 
grant,that  Conftitution  is  agreeable  to  his  own  Perfe&ions, 
which,  in  its  own  Nature  is  fuited  to  the  Glory  of  God  and 
Good  of  the  Creatures.  Now  this  Conftitution  with  Adam 
v/as  in  its  own  Nature  fuited  to  the  general  Good  of  Man 
kind,  becaufe  the  Welfare  of  Mankind  was  in  the  Nature 
of  the  Thing  fafer  and  better  fccured  upon  fuch  a  Foot, 
than  if  every  fingie  Child  of  Adam  had  been  left  in  a  State 
of  pure  Nature  without  any  Conftitution  at  all,  or  than  if 
they  had  every  one  been  put  to  act  fmgly  for  himfelf :  as 
has  been  before  proved.  And  it  was  well  fuited  to  the 
Glory  of  God,  becaufe  in  that  Conftitution,  confidered  in 
it's  own  Nature,  God  eminently  appeared  to  be  what  he 
was.  For  in  it  he  appeared  as  the  MOST  HIGH  GOD, 
'  the  SUPREME  LORD  and  SOVEREIGN  GOVER- 
NOUR  of  the  whole  World  -,  for  in  it  he  afted  asfevereign 
Lcrd  of  his  Creatures,  as  being  by  Nature  God^  and  as  hav 
ing  an  abfolute  Right  to  and  Authority  ever  the  Works  of 
his  Hands.  And  when  God  acts  fo,  as  by  his  Conduct  to 
fhew  what  he  is,  then  are  his  Doings  fuited  to  his  own 
Glory  ;  for  nothing  is  more  to  his  Glory,  than  to  appear  to 
be  what  he  is.  And  in  as  much  as  the  Conftitution  it  felf 
was  well  fuited  to  the  general  Good  of  Mankind,  God  did., 
in  making  of  it,  act  a  kind  and  tender  Part  towards  the 
human  Race,  to  the  Honour  and  Glory  of  his  Goodnefs. 
And  while  eternal  Life  was  promifed  to  perfect  Obedience, 
and  eternal  Death  threatned  toDifobedienee,  God's  infinite 
Love  to  Vertue  and  infiniteHatred  of  Vice  were  manifefted, 
to  the  Glory  of  his  Holinefs  and  Juftice.  Since  then  that 
Conftitution  was  thus,  in  it's  own  Nature,  fuited  to  our 
Good  and  God's  Glory  *,  there  is  no  doubt  but  the  fove- 
icign  Lord  and  Governour  of  all  Things,  had  full  Power 
and  rightful  Authority,  fo  to  appoint  :  for  in  fo  doing,  he, 
would  ad  agreeable  to  his  own  Perfections,  and  the  eternal 
Fitnefs  of  Things. 

BUT  TO  CONCLUDE,  We  may  be  abundantly 
fatisfied,  not  only  from  the  Nature  of  the  Thing,  but  alfo 
from  what  God  ka$  in  Faft  done*  that  that  CcmftitutioJi  was 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  267 

holy,  juft  and  Good,  and  that  he  had  full  Power  and  right 
ful  Authority  to  do  as  he  did,  becaufe  otherwife  he  would 
never  have  done  fo  j  he  would  never  have  made  fuch  a 
Conftitution.  It  is  plain  and  evident  from  Faffsy  that 
Adam  was  confidered  and  dealt  with  under  the  Capacity 
of  a  publick  Head,  and  that  Death  natural^  ffiritual  and 
eternal  were  included  in  the  Threatning ;  for  all  his  Pofte^ 
rity  are  evidently  dealt  withjuft  as  if  that  bad  been  the  Cafe. 
They  are  bomfpiritually  dead?  as  has  been  proved  in  the 
former  Difcourfe.  They  are  evidently  liable  to  natural 
Deatb^  as  loon  as  they  are  born.  And  if  they  die  and  go 
into  Eternity  with  their  native  Temper, they  muft  necefTa- 
rily  be  miferable,  in  being  what  they  are,  unlike  to  God  and 
uncapable  of  the  Enjoyment  of  him,  and  contrary  to  him. 
And  God  muft  neceffarily  look  upon  them  with  evcrlafting 
Abhorrence  ;  for  he  cannot  but  abhor  Creatures  whofe 
Tempers  are  contrary  to  him.  So  that  here  is  eternal  Death. 
And  all  in  Coniequence  of  Adam\  firft  Sin. 

Now  then,  if  indeed  we  are  in  Faff  dealt  with  juft  as  we 
mould  have  been,  had  Adam  been  our  publick  Head,  there 
can  furely  need  no  farther  Evidence  to  prove  that  this  was 
the  Cafe  •,  for  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth  cannot  but  do  Right  : 
And  therefore  he  would  not  deal  with  us  as  being  guilty 
of  Adam's  firft  Sin,  were  not  Adam  our  Reprefentative. 
But  had  Adam  been  our  Reprefentative,  and  his  firil  Sin 
imputed  to  us  ;  yet  then  we  fhould  have  been  dealt  with  no 
otherwife  than  now  we  ;  are  i.  e.  On  Suppolition  of  the  In- 
terpofition  of  a  Mediator,  as  is  now  the  Cafe.  For  that  we 
are  now  born  into  the  World  fubjedl  to  natural  Deat/^none 
can  deny,  and  this  by  Virtue  of.  Adam's  firft  Sin  :  And  if 
we  are  really  fpiritually  dead  too,  and  fo  expoicd  to  eternal 
Death^  'tis  juft  what  might  have  been  expected,  had  Adam 
ftood  for  us  \  and  fo  there  is  no  more  to  be  faid.  And  if 
God  be  fuch  a  Being;,  as  I  fuppofe  he  is,  and  the  Law  fuch, 
and  the  Nature  of  true  Holinefs  fuch  •,  then,  as  has  been 
(hewn  in  the/r/?  Difeourfe,  there  is  no  doubt  we  are  native 
ly  fpiritually  dead.  So  that  the  Force  of  this  Argument 
depends  upon  the  Truth  of  thofe  firft  Principles,  which,  I 
think,  have  been  futficiently  proved.  Right  Apprehenfions 
of  the  moral  Law  will  at  once  convince  us  of  our  inherent 

natural 


2 68        True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

natural  Corruption,  and  make  us  feel  that  we  are  fallen 
Creatures. 

REMARK.  Perhaps  this  is  the  Confideration,  which  moft 
commonly  firft  leads  poor  Sinners  to  fee,  that  they  do  a<5tu- 
ally  lie  under  the  Guilt  of  Mam's  firft  Sin  ;  and  that  their 
Ruin  thence  took  its  Rife,  viz.  their  rinding  by  Experi 
ence,  when  the  Spirit  of  God  brings  home  the  Law  and 
awakens  Confcience,  that  they  are  by  Nature  dead  in  <Tref- 
pajfes  and  Sins  :  for  now  no  Conclufion  can  be  more  natu 
ral,  than  that  they  are  by  Nature  Children  of  Wrath.  And 
this  will  naturally  lead  them  to  enquire,  Whence  this  has 
comes  to  pafs  ?  and  they  will  prefently  find  the  Scripture 
exprefs  and  plain  in  it,  that  by  one  Man's  Difobedience,  many 
were  made  Sinners  •,  and  by  the  Offence  of  one.  Judgment 
came  upon  all  to  Condemnation  :  and  their  own  Experience 
will  give  them  the  moft  natural  Comment  upon  the  Words, 
while  they  feel  themfeives  to  be  by  Nature  dead  in  Sin  and 
expofed  to  eternal  Ruin.  But  now,  <c  How  could  I  juftly 
"  have  all  this  come  upon  me  for  Adam's  firft  Sin  ?"'  will 
naturally  be  the  nextThought.  And  an  awakened  Confci 
ence  will  perhaps  firft  of  all  reply,  "  How  it  is  juft  &  right 
"  I  cannot  tell,but  I  am  certain  fo  it  is,  that  I  am  byNature 
"  dead  in  Sin,&  byNature  aChild  of  Wrath.  This  I  fee  and 
"  feel.  And  the  Scripture  fays,that  by  one  Mat?  s  Difobedience 
"  many  were  made  Sinners  •,  and  that  for  the  Offence  of  one 
"  Judgment  came  upon  all  Men  to  Condemnation,  AndGod's 
"  Ways  muft  be  righteous,  for  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth 
"  always  does  right.  And  if  I  do  finally  perifh,  I  have 
<c  nothing  to  fay  -,  for  I  have  gone  in  Adam's  Steps,  I 
<c  have  been  voluntary  in. my  Rebellion  againft  God  all 
"  my  Life,  and  am  at  Heart  an  Enemy  to  him  ftill,  and 
"  that  voluntarily  fo."  And  this  may  in  a  Meafure  ftlence 
fuch  a  poor  Sinner  for  the  prefent.  But  if  ever  he  comes 
to  be  reconcil'd  to  the  divine  Nature,  and  then  impartially 
to  look  into  the  original  Conftitution,  he  may  then  fee  that 
it  was  in  it's  own  Nature,  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  worthy 
of  God  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  ;  and  as  fuch 
fweetly  acquiefce  in  it :  faying,  c*  God's  Ways  were  holy, 
"  juft  and  good,  and  blefTed  be  his  Name  •,  but  to  us  (to 
"  allths  humm  Race.)  belongs  Shame  and  (Jonfufion  of 

"  Face 


$nd diftmguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   269 

*c  Face,  for  that  wejhave  finned."  .But  until  Men  are  a- 
wakened,  at  kail  to  fome  Senfe,of  their  natural  Corrup 
tion,  they  are  commonly  very  blind  and  deaf  to  all  the 
Scripture  fays  about  this  Matter.  It  is  hard  to  make  Men 
believe  contrary  to  their  own  Experience  ;  to  make  them 
believe  that  they/*?//  in  Adamjn}&&  they  don't  feel  that  they 
are  by  Nature  fallen  Creatures.  Let  the  Scripture  fpeak 
ever  fo  plain,  yet  they  cannot  believe  that  it  means  as  it  fays, 
It  muft  mean,  they  think,  fomething  elfe.  The  beft  Me 
thod  therefore  to  convince  Sinners  of  theDo6trine  of  origi 
nal  (imputed)  Sin,  and  to  filence  all  their  Cavils,  is  to  open 
the  true  Meaning  of  the  moral  Law,  and  mew  them  their 
native  Depravity.  This  is  the  Method  which  God  takes  in 
the  Bible.  He  fays  but  little  about  Adam's  firft  Sin,  but 
fays  much  to  fhew  us  what  we;  really  are,  as  knowing  that 
if  we  are  but  once  convinced  of  our  nativeCorruption,  a  few 
Words  are  fuffieient  to  fhew  us  whence  our  Ruin  originally 
took  it's  Rife. 

Thus,  God  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  in  the 
Gofpel-Difpenfation,  confidered  Mankind  as  being  in  a  pe- 
riihing  Condition,  iinful,  guilty,  juflly  condemned,  help* 
lefs  and  undone ;  and  one  Ground  andReafon  of  his  look 
ing  upon  Mankind  to  be  in  fuch  a  Condition,  was  cur 
original  Apoftacy  from  him  in  our  firir.  Parents.  And 
fince  that  Constitution,  whereby  Adam  was  made  our  com 
mon  Head  and  publick  Reprefentative,  was  holy,  juft  and 
good  in  its  own  Nature  ;  and  fince  God  the  fupreme  Lord 
of  all  Things  had  full  Power  and  rightful  Authority  fo  to 
ordain  and  appoint  •,  hence  therefore  he  has  fuffieient  Rea- 
fon  to  look  upon  Mankind,  on  Account  of  this  firft  Apof 
tacy,  as  he  does. 

Therefore  at  the  fame  Time  he  provided  a  Saviour  for 
Adamy  at  the  fame  Time  did  he  alfo  provide  a  Saviour  for 
hisPoflerity  too  •,  they  being  confidered  as  one  with  him  and 
involved  in  the  fame  Sin  and  Guilt  and  Ruin  ;  and  fo  (land 
ing  in  equal  Need  of  Relief.  Hence  Chrift  is  called  the 
Lambjlain  from  the  Foundation  of  the  Word,  Then  was  it 
faid,  that  the  Seed  of  theWoman  jhall  bruife  the  Serpent's  Head. 
To  which  original  Grant  purSaviour  feerns  to  ha  •,  eRefpecl, 
when  he  fays,  God  fo  lovsd  thz  World  ^  that  be  GAVE  his 


270         7r#£  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

enly  begotten  Son,  &c*  Whefea^  had  Adam  a&ed  in  the  Ca 
pacity  of  a  private  Perfon*  and  finned  and  fallen  for  him- 

felf  alone,  and  his  Pofterity  not  been  involved  in  the  fame 
Ruin  ;  Adam  might  have  had  a  Saviour  provided  for  him  : 
But  his  Pofterity  would  no  more  have  needed  one,  than  the 
Angels  in  Heaven, -or  than  Adam  before  his  Fall.  t 

OBJ.  But  thofe  Words,  In  the  Day  thou  eateft  thereof, 
thou  fhalt  furely  die,  Gen.  2.  17.  were  evidently  fpoken^only 
to  Adam,  nor  is  there  a  Word  f aid  about  his 'Pofterity  having 
any  Inter  eft  or  Concern  in  the  Affair. 

ANS.  So  alfo  were  thofeWords  in  Gen.  3.19.  Duft  then 
art,  and  unto  Duft  /halt  thou  return,  fpoken  only  to  Adam 
without  the  leaft  Intimation  that  his  Pofterity  were  any  of 
them  included  in  the  Sentence.  And  yet  by  Vertue  of  that 
Sentence,  all  his  Pofterity  are  fubjecl:  to  Death.  Rom.  5.12, 
13,  14.  Do  you  account  for  this,  and  you  will  at  the  fame 
Time  account  for  that :  For  the  Truth  is,  that  in  bothCafes 
Adam  was  confidered  not  merely  as  a  fingle  privatePerfon, 
but  as  a  publkk  Head  and  Reprefentative,  ftanding  in  the 
Room  of  all  h:s  Pofterity.  And  confidered  in  thisCapacity, 
was  he  threatned  with  Death  in  Cafe  he  finned  ;  and  conii- 
dered  in  this  Capacity,  was  natural  Death  denounced  upon 
him  after  his  Fall.  So  that  in  bqth,  his  Pofterity  were  e- 
qually  included.  And  therefore  St.Pau!  calls  Adam  a  fype 
of  Cbrift.  Rom.  5.  14.  And  calls  Chrift  the  fecondAdam. 
i  Cor.  15.45.  Becaufe  both  thefe,  by  the  Authority  of  the 
great  Governour  of  the  World,  were  conftituted  publick 
Perfons,  to  act  in  the  Behalf  of  Mankind.  And  all  Man 
kind  were  fo  included  in  them,  that  St.  Paul  fpeaks  as  if 
there  had  been  but  only  thefe  two  Men,  Adam  and  Chrift. 
i  Cor.  15.  47.  The  firfi  Man  is  of  the  Earth,  earthy  :  fhs 
fecondManis  the  Lord  from  Heaven. 

2.  God  the  fupreme  Ruler  of  the  World  does  in  the 
Gofpel  confider  Mankind  as  being  in  a  perifhingCondition, 
not  only  on  the  Account  of  their  original  Apoftacy  in 
Adam,  their  common  Head  and  Reprefentative  •,  but  alfo 
becaufe  they  are,  what  they  are,  in  themfefoes.  fi.)  Deftitute 
of  the  divine  Image.  (2.)  Contrary  to  God  in  the  Tem 
per  of  their  Hearts.  (3.)  Utterly  averfe  to  a  Reconcilia 
tion,  (4.)  In  a  Difpofition,  if  unreftrained,  to  live  in  all 

opei 


~and"&(lmguifhedjrom  all  Counterfeits  271 

open; -Rebellion  againft  the  Majefty  of  Heaven  before  his 
Face.  (5.)  A$d  yet  inieniible  of  their  juft  Defert  and  of 
their  Need  of  fovereign  Grace  \  and  ready  rather  to  think 
it  a  cruel  Thing,  if  God  iliould  damn  them. 

( i ..)  God  j "aw  Mankind  deftitute  of  bis  moral  Image.  For 
being  confcious  of  the  holy  Temper  of  his  own  Heart,  of 
the  holy  Fropenfity  of  his  own  Nature-,  and  being  confci- 
ous  to  the  Temper  of  their  Hearts,  to  the  Propenfity  of 
their  Nature  ;  at  firft  View,  he'faw  what  they  were.  God 
looked  down  from  Heaven  upon  the  Children  of  Men^  to  fee  if 
there  'were  any  that  did  underftand>  thai:  did  feek  God.  Every 
one  of  them  is  gone  back^  they  are  altogether  become  filthy  ; 

there  is  none  that  doth  Gcody  no^  not  one.  Pfai.  53.2.  3. 

He  faw  Mankind  deftitute  of  aConformity  to  his  holyLaw. 
The  Law  requires  Mankind  to  love  God  iupremeiy,  live  to 
him  ultimately,  and  delight  in  him  fuperlatively,  and  to 
love  one  another  as  their  own  Souls  :  But  he  looked  down 
from  Heaven,  he  beheld,  and  lo,  all  the  human  Race 
were  entirely  devoid  ot  that  Temper.  None  were  in  a 
Difpofition  to  account  him  infinitely  glorious  in  being  what 
he  was.  Not  one  had  the  leaft  Relifh  or  Tafte  for  the 
Beauty  of  his  moral  Perfections.  Every  Heart  empty  of 
holy  Love,  and  holy  Delight,  and  devoid  of  any  true  Spirit 
or  Principle  of  Obedience.  And  all  Mankind  had  loft  that 
Frame  of  Spirit  towards  one  another,  which  they  ought  to 
4(pve.  The  whole  World  lay  in  Ruin. 

He  knew,  his  Law  was  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  that  his 
Creature  Man  was  under  infinite  Obligations  to  a  perfect 
Conformity  thereto.  He  faw  what  Grounds  there  were  for 
the  Law,  and  what  Reafons  for  their  Obedience.  He  faw 
his  o WIT  infinite  Excellency,  and  his  original,  underived, 
entire  Right  to  them,  and  was  confcious  to  his  rightful 
Authority  over  them.  He  judged  them  inflniteiy  to  Blame 
for  their  Non-Conformity,  and  worthy  of  an  infinite  Pu- 
nilhrnent.  Speaking  after  the  Manner  of  Men,  he  did,  in 
the  inward  Temper  of  his  Heart,  perfectly  approve  of 
thofe  Words  in  Gal.  3.  10.  as  being  ftrictly  juft,  Cur  fed  is 
every  cne,  that  continueth  not  in  all  Things  written  in  theBook 

of  theL&wjo  do  them. Therefore  he  looked  onMankind 

in  a  perilling  Condition.        But, 

(2.)  He 


272        True  Religion  delineated       D I  s .  II , 

(i.)  He  viewed  Mankind  not  only  deftitute  of  Good,  but 
full  of  Evil.  Not  only  void  of  true  Love  to  God  and  to 
one  another,  but  Enemies  to  God  and  living  in  Malice  and 
Envy  among  themfelves.  He  looked  down  from  Heaven 
and  viewed  a  guilty  World,  and  faw  their  Contrariety  to 
his  Nature  and  to  his  Law.  Confcious  of  his  own  divine 
Temper,  he  faw  every  contrary  Temper  in  them.  What 
he  efleems,  they  deipife.  What  he  delights  in,  they  loath. 
The  End  which  he  profecutes,  they  oppofe.  And  they 
ef teem  and  delight  in  that  which  is  contrary  to  him,  and 
profecute  Ends  and  Defigns  contrary  to  his.  He,  faw  their 
Views,  their  Tempers,  their  Wills,  their  Ends, Defigns  and 
Ways,  were  all  contrary  to  him,  and  diametrically  oppofite 
to  his  Law.  He  confidered  them  as  his  Enemies,  and  their 
Tempers  as  perfect  Enmity  and  Contrariety  to  the  divine 
Nature.  Rom.  8.  7. 

(3.)  And  in  as  much  as  he  thus  faw  them  entirely  de 
ftitute  of  Love  to  him,  and  diametrically  contrary  to  the 
divine  Nature  in  the  Temper  of  their  Hearts,  He  knew  they 
would  have  no  Inclination  to  a  Reconciliation  to  God  •,  but 
would  be  naturally  averfe  to  it.  He  knew,  their  Averfion  to 
a  Reconciliation  would  be  as  ftrong  as  their  Contrariety  to 
the  divine  Nature,  from  which  it  took  it's  Rife.  He  faw 
that  if  he  fhould  attempt  to  reclaim  them,  he  fhould  only 
meet  with  Refiftance.  That  if  he  fhould  fpread  the  News 
of  Pardon  and  Peace  thro'  a  guilty  World,  and  invite  them 
to  return  and  be  reconciled,  that  they  would  make  light  of 
it  and  defpife  it.  That  if  he  Ihould  fend  Meifengers  after 
them,  to  perfwade  them  to  return  and  befeech  them  to  be 
reconciled,  that  they  would  put  many  of  them  to  Death. 
He  faw  juft  what  Treatment,  the  Prophets,  and  Chrift,  and 
his  Apoftles  were  like  to  meet  with.  He  knew  not  one  in 
all  the  World  would  repent  and  convert,  unlefs  brought 
thereto  by  his  own  almighty  Arm,  and  all-conquering 
Grace.  Mat.  21.  33 — 39.  Rom.  8.  7.  i  Cor.%.  6.  7. 

(4J  Yea,  fo  far  from  a  Difpojition  to  repent  and  convert^ 
tbaj,  if  left  wholly  to  themfelves  unreftrained,  no  Wickedneft 
would  be  too  bad  for  them.  All  would  act  as  bad  as  Cain* 
Manajfeh,  or  Judas  ;  and  the  whole  human  Race  be  like  fb 

many 


and difiinvtiifhed from  all  Counterfeits.  273 

many  incarnate  Devils  :  they  having  the  Seed  of  all  Sin  in 
their  Hearts.  Mar.   7.21,22. 

(5.)  And  yet  wfenfibh  of  their  Sin  and  Guilt  and  juft  De- 
/•/•/,  and  that  they  lie  merely  at  tbe  fovereign  Mercy  of  GW, 
and  that  he  is  at  Liberty  to  jhszv  Mercy ,  or  not ',  as  feems  good 
in-  bis  Sight.  Yea,  ib  averfe  to  the  Knowledge  of  this  their 
true  State,  as  to  be  difpofed  to  hate  the  Light  and  fhut 
their  Eyes  againft  it,  ready  to  relifl  all  Methods  of  Con- 
victicfj.  Yea,  that  fome  would  be  even  fo  perverfe,  as 
actually  to  rife  in  Arms  againft  his  Meffengers,  who  endea 
voured  to  {hew  them  their  Ruin  and  the  Way  of  their  Re 
covery,  and  put  them  to  Death,  as  not  fit  to  live  :  and 
yet  ib  itupid,  as  to  think,  that  in  all  they  did  God  good 
Service.  And  tjiat  in  general,  a  great  Out-cry  would  be 
railed,  round  a  proud  and  guilty  World,  againft  the  Lord, 
for  fuppofing  Mankind  to  be  in  fo  bad,  ib  very  forlorn  an 
Eftate.  God  knew  the  Pride  of  Man,  that  he  is  exceeding 
proud  ;  and  faw  how  great  Offence  would  be  given  to  a 
guilty  World,  who  would  by  no  Means  endure  to  be  ib 
affronted.  Job.  3.  19,  20.  6?  8.  33.  47. 

Now,  fuch  were  the  Grounds  upon  which  God  looked 
upon  the  human  Race  in  a  perilling  Condition  ;  fmful, 
guilty,  juftly  condemned,  helplefs  and  undone.  And  con- 
fidering  that  the  original  Conftitution  with  Adam,  accord 
ing  to  which  he  and  all  his  Pofterity  were  doomed  to  De- 
ftruction,  in  Cafe  he  fell,  was  holy,  juft  and  good  •,  and 
confidering  tnat  the  Law  of  Nature,  which  all  Mankind  are 
naturally  under,  and  according  to  which  the  leaft  Sin  ex- 
poles  to  eternal  Damnation,  is  alfo  holy,  juft  and  good ; 
and  confidering  our  Apoilacy  in  Adam^  and  what  we  be  in 
our  felves  .  I  fay,  confidering  all  thefe  Things,  it  is  moft 
certain  and  evident,  that  the  Judgment  of  God  was  ac 
cording  to  Truth,  while  he  efteemed  Mankind  to  be  thus 
in  a  perifhing  Condition. 

That  Mankind  are  actually  of  fuch  a  Nature,  has  been 
demonftrated  in  the  former  Difcourfe.  That  God,  whole 
Underftanding  is  infinite,  and  who  fees  all  Things  as  being 
what  they  really  are,  muft  therefore  now  fee  Mankind  to  be 
fuch,  is  felf- evident,  Andfucb  as  he  now  fees  them  to  be, 
fucb  he  from  the  Beginning  knew  they  would  be.  It  is  evi- 

T  dent 


274          True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

dent  therefore,  a  prior 'i,  that  God  mult  have  confidered 
Mankind  to  befucb,  when  he  firft  cntred  upon  hisDefigns 
of  Grace  revealed  in  the  Gofpel. — And  if  we  conilder  the 
Nature  of  the  Gofpel,  and  what  Methods  God  has  taken 
with  a  finful,  guilty  World  to  reclaim  and  recover  them,  and 
how  they  have  behaved  under  all ;  it  will  be  flill  more  evi 
dent  that  Mankind  are  verily  in  fuch  a  Cafe.  TheLaw,the 
Gofpel,  and  Experience,  all  join  to  confirm  it. 

Had  not  the  Gofpel  confidered  us,  as  being  entirely  de 
void  of  the  divine  Image,  deititute  of  any  fpi  ritual  good 
Thing,  blind,  dead,  gracelefs  •,  why  fhould  it  fo  much  urge 
the  Necefiity  of  our  being  born  again,  made  new  Creatures, 
having  our  Eyes  opened,  being  raifed  from  the  Dead,  being 
created  a-new  to  good  Works,  and  having  tfye  Law  written  in 
cur  Hearts,  the  Heart  of  Stone  took  away,  and  an  Heart  cf 
Flcjh  given  ?  —  Had  not  the  Gofpel  confidered  us,  as 
being  Enemies  to  God  ;  why  fhould  it  invite  us  to  be 
reconciled  ?  —  Had  not  the  Gofpel  confidered  us  as  being 
very  averfe  to  a  Reconciliation  •,  why  fhould  it  pray  and 
befeech  us  with  fo  much  Earneftnefs  and  Solemnity  to  be  re 
conciled,  and  ufe  fo  many  Arguments  ? — Had  not  the  Gof 
pel  confidered  our  Reconciliation,  as  unattainable  by  the 
moil  powerful  Arguments,  of  themfelves  ;  why  fhould  it 
declare  that  after  all,  neither  Paul  nor  ^polios,  nor  Cephas, 
are  any  Thing,  or  can  do  any  Thing,  unlefs  God  himfelf 
give  the  Increafe  ? — And  were  we  not  Enemies  to  God,and 
Rebels, ,  and  inveterate  haters  of  the  Light,  arid  difpoled  to 
rife  in  Arms  againft  it,  why  fhould  Chrift  tell  his  Mini- 
ilers,  I  fend  you  forth  as  Sheep  among  Wolves  -,  if  they  have 
called  the  Mafter  of  the  Houfe  Beelzebub,  no  wonder  they  call 
youfo-,youjhallbe  hated  ofallMenfor  my  Name's  fake-,  they  that 
kill  you, will  think  they  do  God  good  Service  ?  That  Generation 
tho't  as  well  of  themfelves  as  the  prefent  Generation  now  on 
Earth  does,  and  were  ready  to  fpeak  thefameLanguage,  arid 
&y, If  <we  bad  lived  in  the  Days  of  our  Fathers,  we  would  not  have 
killed  the  Prophets  ;  but  Chrift  knew  their  Hearts.  —  And 
had  not  Mankind,  on  thefe  Accounts,  been  confidered, 
as  in  a  perifhing  Condition  ;  finful,  guilty,  juftly  con 
demned,  helplefs  and  undone,  why  was  there  provided  fuch 
a  Redeemer,  zndfucb  a  Sanftijier  ?  And  why  was  theS;il- 

vaiion 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  275 

vation  of  Sinners  every  where  represented,  as  being  fo  en 
tirely  owing  to  the  Grace,  the  mere  Grace,  the  free  aftonim- 
ing,  wonderful  Grace  of  God  from  firft  to  laft  ?  Surely 
from  all  this,  mod  certain  and  evident  it  is,  that  God  does 
in  the  Gofpel,  upon  thefe  Grounds,  confider  Mankind,  as 
being  in  a  perifhing  Condition  :  And  upon  thefe  Grounds 
we  muft  therefore  come  to  confider  our  ieives  fo  too,  or  we 
can  never  be  in  a  Difpofition,  humbly  and  thankfully  to 
accept  the  Grace  offered,  and  return  home  to  God  in  the 
Way  provided.  We  mall  rather  be  affronted,  that  the 
Gofpel  fuppofes  us  to  be  in  fo  bad  a  Condition  •,  or  elfe  ne 
ver  fo  much  as  take  Matters  into  ferious  Consideration,  but 
do  as  thofe  invited  to  the  Marriage  of  the  King's  Son  in 
Mat.  22.  ^.  They  made  light  of  //,  and  went  their  Ways,  one 
to  his  Farm,  another  to  his  Merchandise. —  I  do  but  juft  hint 
at  thefe  Things  now,  becaufe  they  have  been  fo  largely  in 
filled  upon  heretofore.  —  And  thus  we  fee  upon  what 
Grounds  it  is,  that  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,does 
in  the  Gofpel,  confider  Mankind  as  being  in  a  periihing 
Condition. 

SECTION      II. 

Shewing  whence  God's  Defign  of  MERCV 
towards  a  perifning  World  originally  took 
if  s  RISE. 

I  proceed  now, 

II.  To  mew,  What  were  the  Motives  ^  which  have  excited 
God  to  do  what  he  has  done ^  for  the  Recovery  of  Sinner s>  out 
of  this  their  perijhing  Condition.  And 

i.  It  was  not  becaufe  the  original  Couftitution  ^/Y^Adam 
our  fublick  Head  and  Reprefentative,  was  too  .fevere :  It  was 
not  becaufe  it  would  have  been  hard  and  cruel^  or  in  the  leaft 
inconfiftent  with  his  infinite  Goodnefs  and  tender  Mercies •,  to 
have  left  all  Mankind  in  that  State  of  total  Ruin,  they  were 
brought  into  by  the  Fall.  For  had  not  that  Conflitution 
been  in  it's  ownNature  holy,juft  &  good,  and  fo  moft  per 
fectly  agreeable  to  his  own  Nature,  to  his  Holinefs,  Juibce 
and  Goodnefs,  he  would  never  have  made  it  :  For  he  ne~ 
ceffarily  infinitely  abhors,  in  his  publick  Conduct,  to  act 
counter  to  the  inward  Temper  of  his  Heart.  For  the  very 

T  2  Reafon 


276        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

Reafon  that  he  loves  himfelf  for  being  what  he  is,  for  the 
fame  Reafon  he  loves  to  act  like  himfelf  and  infinitely  ab 
hors  the  contrary. And  if  that  Conftitution  was  holy, 

juft  and  good  in  it's  own  Nature  originally,  it  mult  remain 
fo  ftili  5  for  Adam*  5  Apoftacy,  together  with  all  the  dread 
ful  Confequences  thereof,  could  not  alter  its  Nature.  The 
Conftitution  is  perfectly  as  excellent  as  i'f  Adam  had 
never  fallen  •,  perfectly  as  Good  as  if  it  had  been  theMeans 
of  laying  a  Foundation  for  the  everlafting  Blefiednefs  of  all 
the  human  Race  ;  for  it  is,  what  it  was.  It  was  excel 
lently  well  calculated  for  the  Glory  of  God  and  the  Wel 
fare  of  Mankind  in  it's  own  Nature  ;  and  therefore  God 
made  it,  approv'd  of  it,  was  well  pleafed  with  it,  nor  can 
he  ever  alter  his  Mind  about  it  :  for  it  is  in  it  felt  juft  the 

fame  it  was  at  firft And  if  it  was  holy,  juft  and  good 

in  it's  own  Nature,  and  if  it  remains  fo  ftiil  \  if  the  Ho- 
linefs,  Juftice  and  Goodnefs  of  his  Nature  prompted  him  - 
at  firft  to  make  it,  and  then  to  approve  of  it,  and  be  per 
fectly  well  pleafed  with  it  ;  it  could  not  ( 'tis  felf-evident  ) 
poffibly  have  been  in  the  leaft  difagreeable  to  his  Holinefs, 
Juftice  or  Goodnefs,  to  have  dealt  with  all  Mankind  fince 
the  Fall  according  to  it.  So  that,  to  a  Demonftration, 
God'sThoughts  of  Mercy  towards  a  guilty,  undone  World, 
did  not  in  any  Meafure  take  their  Rife  from  any  Notion 
that  Mankind  had  been  hardly  dealt  with,  or  that  it  would 
be  any  Thing  like  Cruelty  and  Unmercifulnefs,to  damn  the 
whole  World  for  Adam's  firft  Sin,  according  to  the  Tenour 

of  the  original  Conftitution. —  Indeed,  to  fuppofe  fuch  a 

Thing,  highly  reflects  upon  that  Conftitution,  and  upon 
God  for  ever  making  of  it.  It  fuppofes,  the  Conftitution 
was  never  really  holy,  juft  and  good  in  it's  own  Nature, 

and  that  God  did  wrong  in  making   of  it. And  the 

Riches  and  Glory  of  Gofpel- Grace  are  wholly  obfcured 
for  God  cannot  be  confide  red  as  zfqyertign  Benefafl&r  mew 
ing  undeferved  Mercy  to  a  guilty,  Hell-defervin°g  World ; 
.but  rather  as  repenting  for  the  Injury  he  has  done  to  Man 
kind,  and  as  endeavouring  to  make  amends  for  it  by  a 
better,  ajufter  and  .kinder  Conduct  for  theTime  to  come.— 
And  if  this  were  the  Cafe,  all  his  Pretences,  his  high  Pre 
tences,  to  great  Love  and  Gooduefs,  to  great  Kindnefs  and 

Grace,  ; 


and  diftinguijb  edfrom  all  Counterfeits.   277 

Grace,  are  hypocritical  and  a  mere  mocking  of  us.  He 
had  abiifed  and  injured  us,  and  is  now  but  relenting  and 
making  Reftitution  •,  and  "blight  therefore  to  have  faid  fo,  and 
not  pretended  he  did  all  from  mere  Grace,  which  is  to -af 
front  us,  and  make  as  if  that  Constitution  was  holy,  juft 
and  good,  and  we  righteoufly  condemned  and  juftly  mife- 

rable  for  ever. So  that  let  us  view  the  Cafe  in  what 

Light  we  will,  it  is  mod  evident  and  certain,  that  the  great 
Governour  of  the  World  confid,ered  Mankind  as  being 
righteoufly  condemned  and  liable  to  everlaftir-g  Deftruc- 
tion,  confiftent  with  the  infinite  Goodnefs  of  his  Nature  -y 
nor  did  a  Thought  of  Pity  ever  enter  into  his  Heart  from 

the  contrary  Supposition. Yea,  it  feems  to  have  been 

his  very  Defign  to  maintain  the  Honour  of  that  Conftitu- 
tion,  while  he  fhews  Mercy  to  a  guilty  World,  in  as  much 
as  he  has  appointed  another  publick  Perfon,  his  own  dear 
Son,  to  make  Atonement  for  our  original  Apoftacy,  as  weli 
as  our  other  Sins,  that  hereby  a  Way  for  his  Mercy  might 
be  opened.  Rom.  5.  18,  19. 

2.  Nor  did  God's  Defigns  of  Mercy  towards  a  guilty, 
undone  World  take  their  Rife  from  a  Suppofition  that  the 
Law  of  Nature,  which  all  Mankind  are  naturally  under,  is 
too  fevere,  in  requiring  per f eft  Obedience  and  threatning  eternal 
Damnation  for  the  very  leaftDtfefl*;  (Rom.  i.  18.  Gal.  3. 10.) 
or  from  any  Suppcfition,  that  it  would  have  been  any  Thing 
like  Cruelty  orUnmercifulnefs,  to  have  dealt  with  all  Mankind 
according  to  that  Rule. 

To  explain  my  felf,  I  may  juft  obferve,  that  the  original 
Conftitution  with  Adam,  as  publick  Head,  (Gen.  2.  17.) 
was  a  pofttive  Appointment.  After  he  was  turned  out  of 
the  Garden  he  ceafed  to  fuftain  the  Character  or  Capacity 
of  a  publick  Perfon,  nor  are  his  Pofterity  accountable  for 
any  but  his  firft  Tranfgreflion.  But  the  Law  of  Nature 
refults  from  the  Nature  of  Things,  from  God's  being  what 
he  is  in  himfelf  and  from  our  being  what  we  are,  &  he  our 
Creator  and  we  hisCreatures.  And  it  wastinding  in  order 
of  Nature  antecedent  to  any  poiitive  Conftitution  whatfo- 
ever  :  nor  is  it's  binding  Nature  capable  of  any  DifToludonc 
We  might  have  obtained  Life,according  to  theConftitution 
made  with  Adam>  had  he  kept  Covenant  with  God ;  an • '. 

T  fc-ft 


278         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

been  confirmed  in  a  State  of  Holinefs  and  Happinefs ;  fo 
now  we  may  obtain  Life  by  Jefus  Chrift,  who  has  fulfilled 
the  Law  of  Nature  and  made  Attonement  for  all  Sin  : 
But  the  Law  of  Nature  ftill  remains  an  unalterable  Rule  of 
Righteoufnefs  between  God  and  his  Creature  Man.  We 
owe  perfect  Obedience  to  God,  and  the  leaft  Sin  deferves 
eternal  Damnation.  And  God  might  always  have  dealt 
with  Mankind,  fimply  according  to  this  Rule.  The  origi 
nal  Conftitution  with  Adam  had  fome  Degree  of  GRACE 
in  it.  The  Conftitution  in  theGofpel  is  altogether  GRACE. 
God  might  have  held  all  Mankind  bound  by  the  Law  of 
Nature  fimply,  nor  ever  have  appointed  any  other  Way  to 
Happinefs,  than  a  perfect  andperfcvering  Obedience  :  and 
Mankind  have  been  to  all  Eternity  in  av  peccable  State, 
liable  to  S,u  and  fall  into  Ruin.  Whatlbever  Advantages 
Mankind  have  had  over  and  above  this,  are,  and  have  been, 
of  mere  Grace.  According  to  the  Law  of  Nature  we  are 
under  infinite  Obligations  to  perfect  Holinefs  in  the  Tem 
per  of  our  Hearts,  and  to  perfect  Obedience  in  the  whole 
Courfe  of  our  Lives,  and  that  not  only  for  a  Day  or  a  Year 
or  a  Thoufand  Years,  but  fo  lon^  as  we  continue  in  Being. 


And  fo  long  as  we  are  thus  obedient,  we  (hall  be  happy  ; 
but  the  leaft  Defect  at  any  Time  whatfoever  will  let  in 
everlafling  inevitable  Ruin  upon  us.  Adam  in  Innocence 
was  under  the  Law  of  Nature,  as  well  as  under  that  par  - 
ticular  pofitive  Conftitution  in  Gen.  2.  17.  So  thai  any 
other  Sin,  as  well  as  eating  the  forbidden  Fruit,  muft  have 
expofed  him  to  Ruin.  But  then  by  that  Conftitution  he 
had  this  peculia'r  Advantage,  that  if  he  perfevered,  his  Time 
of  Trial  fhould  fhortly  be  at  an  End,  and  himfelf  and  ail 
his  Race  confirmed  in  a  State  of  Holinefs  and  Happinefs. 
An  Advantage  never  to  be  obtained  by  any  one  merely 
under  the  Law  of  Nature.  For  in  the  Nature  of  Things 
it  is  impoflible,  God  fhould  ever  be  laid  under  any  Obliga 
tions  to  his  Creatures  unlefs  by  Virtue  of  his  own  free 
Promife,  which  does  not  belong  to  the  Law  of  Nature, 
but  is  an  Act  of  Grace,  which  he  may  grant  or  withhold 
as  fcems  good  in  his  Sight.- When  Adam  broke  Cove 
nant  with  God,  and  when  that  politive  Conftitution  was  at 
an  End  ;  yet  ilill  Adam  remained  under  theLaw  of  Nature, 

bound 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counter  felts.   279 

bound  to  perfect  Obedience,  to  love  God  with  all  his  Heart, 
and  his  Neighbour  as  himfelf ;  yea,  under  infinite  Obliga 
tions,  and  every  Defect  was  infinitely  fmful,  and  ib  was 
worthy  of  infinite  Funifliment.  And  as  was  the  Cafe  with 
him,  fo  is  the  Cafe  with  all  his  Pofterity.  Our  Obligations 
are  infinite,  and  fo  our  Non-performance  infinitely  faulty, 
and  worthy  of  an  infinite  Punifhment.  Tho'  indeed  as  the 
Cafe  now  llands,  nor  Adam,  nor  any  of  his  Race  can  ever 
obtain  Life  by  the  Law  of  Nature,  becaufe  we  are  Sinners, 
and  fo  by  the  Law  of  Nature  are  condemned  withoutHope. 
Rom.  3.  20.  By  the  Deeds  of  the  Law  no  Flejh  canbe  jufti- 
fad  ;  for  by  the  Law  is  the  Knowledge  of  Sin.  And  Chap.  4. 
tf.  1 5.  TheLaw  workethWrath.  And  thus  as  the  Cafe  now 
ftands,  we  are  under  infinite  Obligations  to  perfe6t  Obe^ 
dience,and  are  liable  to  an  infinite  Punifhment  for  the  lead 
Defect  :  and  yet,  thro'  the  bad  Temper  of  our  Hearts,  we 
are  unable  to  yield  anyObedienoe,and  arc  in  a  Diipofition  to 
be  continually  treafuring  up  Wrath  again  ft  theD  ay  of  Wrath. 

Now,  I  fay,  the  fupreme  King  of  Heaven  and'  Earth 
was  not  moved  to  entertain  Defigns  of  M,ercy  towards  a  fm 
ful,  guilty  undone  World,  from  a  Sujipofition  that  the 
Law  of  Nature  was  too  fevere,  or  that  it  would  have  been 
any  Thing  like  Unmercifulnefs  to  have  dealt  with  allMan- 
kind  according  to  that  Rule.  For, 

All  that  this  Law  requires,  is,  that  fmce  GOD  is  infi 
nitely  amiable  in  himfelf,and  has  fuch  an  entireRight  to  us 
and  abfoluteAuthority  over  us  as  his  Creatures,we  therefore 
love  him  with  all  our  Hearts^  and  be  entirely  devoted  to  him, 
to  do  his  Will  and  keep  his  Commands, feeking  hisGlory  : 
and  .that,  fmce  our  Neighbours  are  fuch  as  we,  of  the  fame 
Species  and  under  the  fame  general  Circumftances,  we 
therefore  love  ourNeighbour  as  our  f elves  :  both  whichThings 
are  in  their  own  Nature  right  and  fit  and  reafonable.  So 
that  the  Law  is  holy. — And  all  that  this  Law  threatens  in 
Cafe  of  any  Tranfgreffion,  is,  that  fmce  our  Obligations 
are  infinite,  and  fo  the  leaft  Defect  infinitely  wrong  ; 
therefore  every  fuch  Defect  fhould  be  punifhed  with 
the  cverlafting  Pains  of  Hell  j  and  that  in  exact 
Proportion  to  the  feveral  Aggravations  attending  each 
Tranfgreffion.  Which  is  alib  in  it's  ownNature  right  and  (\\ 

T  4  arid 


280          True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

and  reafonable.  So  that  the  Law  isjuft. — And  that  per 
fect  Holinefs  which  this  Law  requires,  i.  e.  to  love  God 
with  all  ourHearts  and  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves,  is  the 
higher!  Perfection  our  Nature  is  capable  of,  and  altogether 
fuited  to  make  us  happy.  So  that  theLaw  is  good.  But, 

It  is  not  levere,  nor  any  Thing  like  Unmercifulnefs,  to 
deal  with  Mankind  according  to  a  Rule,  which  is,  in  it's 
own  Nature,  holy,  juft  and  good  :  but  rather,  it  mud  have 
been  agreable  to  the  Ploiinds,  Juftice  and  Goodnefs  of  the 
great  Governour  of  the  World  Ib  to  do.  And  indeed, were 
not  this  the  Cafe,  it  would  have  been  fit  this  Law  ihould 
have  been  repealed.  Mankind  did  not  need  to  be  redeemed 
from  the  Curfe  of  an  unrighteous  Law  ;  for  fuch  a  Law 
ought  to  be  laid  afide,  and  it's  Curfes  never  executed.  God 
would  have  been  bound  in  Juitice  to  have  abolished  an  un 
righteous  Law.  There  is  no  Need  of  Chrift  or  Gofpel- 
Grace  in  the  Cafe.  '  And  fo  all  the  high  Commendations 
of  the  Grace  of  God  in  providing  a  Saviour,  as  being  rich 
free  and  wonderful,  are  groundlefs  •,  and  cart  much  Re 
proach  upon  Mankind,  as  being  a  guilty  Race,  righteoufly 
condemned,  when  in  Truth  it  is  no  fuch  Thing..  God 
ought  to  have  owned  that  the  Law  was  wrong,  and  to  have 
repealed  it,  and  not  to  have  proceeded  as  if  it  was  very 
good,  and  Mankind  altogether  to  blame,  and  worthy  of 
eternal  Damnation.  And  mightily  would  this  have  pleafed 
an  apoftate,  proud  and  guilty  World  ;  and  at  the  fame 
Time  caft  infinite  Reproach  upon  God  and  his  holy  Law, 
and  flint  out  all  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpel. 
.  God  has  therefore  in  the  Gofpel,  not  only  fuppofed  the 
Law  to  be  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  Mankind  righteoufly 
condemned  ;  but  has  taken  all  pofiible  Care  to  make  it 
evident  that  he  does  fo,  and  thereby  to  fecure  the  Honour 
of  his  Law,  difcountenancc  Sin,  humble  the  Sinner,  and 
cxak  and  magnify  his  Grace.  Even  the  whole  Scheme  of 
the  Gofpel  is  wifely  calculated  to  attain  thcfe  Ends,  as  we 
lhali  fee  hereafter.  So  far  was  God  from  being  moved  to 
pity  Mankind  from,  a  Suppofition  that  they  had  in  this 
pe6i:  been  too  leverely  dealt  with,  and  fa  Objects  of  Pity 
iiat  Scnfe  •>  that  on  the  contrary  he  moil  perfectly  ap- 
^ed  of  the  Law  as  holy,  juit  and  good,  and  was  altoge 
ther 


and dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   281 

ther  in  it,  that  Mankind  deferved  to  be  proceeded  with  ac 
cording  to  it.  Yea,  fo  highly  did  he  approve  of  his  holy: 
Law,  and  fo  odious  and  ill-deferving  did  Mankind  appear 
in  his  Eyes  for  breaking  of  it,  that  their  Sin  cried  aloud 
for  Vengeance  in  his  Ears.  Yea,  cried  fo  loud  for  Venr 
geance,  that  he  judged  it  neceflfary  that  his  own  Son  fhould 
appear  in  their  Stead  and  die  in  their  Room,  to  the  End  he 
might  be  juft,might  ac~t  confiftently  with  the  Holinefs  and 
Juftice  of  his  Nature,  while  he  Ihewed  Mercy  to  them. 
Rcm.  3.  9 — --26. — In  fuch  a  Light  he  viewed  Things  ;  in 
fuch  a  Light  mud  we  therefore  view  them  too,  or  we  can 
never  truly  understand  our  Need  of  Chrift  &  GofpelGrace, 
or  cordially  acquiefce  in  theGofpel-Way  of  Salvation  :  but 
rather  mall  be  difpofed  to  quarrel  with  the  Stri&nefs  of  the 
Law,  and  think  our  felves  abufed,  and  imagine  that  God 
deals  hardly  with  us, 

3.  Nor  was  the  fupreme  Being  moved  to  entertain  De- 
figns  of  Mercy  towards  Mankind,  from  a  Suppofttion,  that 
their  Inability  to  yield  perfeft  Obedience  made  them  the  lefs  to 
blame,  and  fo  the  more  proper  Qbjefts  of  Pity  on  that  Account. 
For  Mankind  are  not  the  lefs  to  blame  for  their  Inability  -, 
but  the  more  unable  they  are,  the  greater  is  their  Blame  ; 
and  fo  the  more  proper  Objects  are  they  of  the  divine 
Wrath  and  Vengeance, 

God  is  a  moil  excellent  and  amiable  Being.  He  infi 
nitely  deferves  our  higheft  Love  &  Efteem  and  fupreme 
Delight.  It  is  perfectly  fit,  we  fhould  be  of  a  Difpofition  to 
fay,  W/hom  have  we  in  Heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  nothing 
on  Earth  we  defer e  befides  thee.  Pfal.  73.  25.  Now,  not  to 
love  this  God  with  all  our  Hearts,muft  be  infinitely  wrong  ; 
and  not  to  love  him  at  all,  muft  be  worfe  Hill ;  but  to  be 
habitually  contrary  to  him  in  the  Temper  of  our  Hearts, 
yea,  fo  averfe  to  him  as  that  we  CAN'T  love  him,  muft 
be  in  the  very  higheft  Degree  vile  and  fmful.  And  now 
to  fay,  we  CAN'T,  by  Way  of  Extenuation,  as  tho'  we  were 
the  lefs  to  blame  for  that,  is  intolerably  God-provoking  : 
whenas  our  CAN'T  arifes  only  from  the  bad  Temper  of  our 
Hearts,  and  becaufe  we  be  not  what  we  fhould  be  -,  and  not 
at  all  from  any  Unlovelinefs  in  the  divine  Nature,  or  from 
our  Want  of  external  Advantages  for  the  Knowledge  of 
God.  Put 


2  8  2        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  II. 

Put  the  Gafe  to  thy  felf,  O  Man.  Were  you  as  wife  as 
Solomon,  as  holy  as  David^  as  humble  as  Paul,  and  of  as 
loving  and  kind  a  Temper  as  John  ;  and  had  you  a  Family 
of  Children  •,  and  were  all  the  Rules  and  Orders  of  your 
Koufe,  like  your  felf ,  and  calculated  to  make  all  your 
Children  juft  fuch  as  you  be  ;  and  did  you  perceive  that 
your  Children  neither  liked  you,  nor  your  Ways,  nor  the 
Orders  of  your  Houfe  -,  they  (hew. you  much  Difrefpect 
in  their  Carriage,difregard  your  Authority,  complain,  your 
Rules  are  too  itricl,  and  daily  break  over  all  Orders  :  At 
length  you  call  them  to  an  Account,  are  about  to  convince 
humble  and  reform  them  ;  they  plead,they  are  not  to  blame, 
at  lead  not  fo  much  to  blame,  becauie  they  CAN'T  love 
you,  they  CAN'T  like  your  Ways,  they  CAN'T  but  abhor 
fuch  Rules  and  Orders  ;  thole  very  Properties,  onAccount 
of  which,  you  are  indeed  the  moil  excellent  Man  in  the 
World,  thefe  are  the  very  Things  for  which  they  diflike 
you,  while  in  the  mean  Time  they  can  moil  heartily  love 
their  Companions  in  Vice  and  Debauchery  :  And  now  the 
Queftion  is,  Whether  their  Inability  to  love  you,  renders 
'em  e'er  the  lefs  to  blame  ?  Or,  whether  it  be  not  very  pro 
voking  in  them,  to  plead  in  Excufe  for  themfelves,  that 
they  can't  love  you  ?  whenas  this  their  can't  arifes  from  their 
voluntary-Contrariety  to  allGood,  andLove  to  Debauchery  ? 
and  not  at  all  from  any  Unlovelinefs  of  your  Perfon  or 
Ways  ;  or  for  want  of  Advantages  to  be  acquainted  with 
you,  and  with  the  Beauty  of  your  Temper  and  Conduct. 
The  Application  is  eafy.  Was  it  any  Excufe  for  the  Ill- 
will  of  the  malicious  Pharifees  towards  Chrift,  that  they 
could  not  love  him,  they  could  not  but  hate  him  ?  Did  ever 
any  Man  look  upon  a  malicious  fpightful  Neighbour,  and 
think  him  e'er  the  lefs  to  blame  for  his  abundant  ill  Car 
riage,  for  his  being  fo  exceeding  ill-natur'd,  that  it  was  not 
in  his  Heart  to  do  otherwife  ?  I  appeal  to  the  common 
Senfe  of  all  Mankind. 

If  fuch  an  Inability  can  excufe  Mankind,then  the  Devils 
upon  the  fame  Foot  may  be  excufed  too.  And  the  more 
any  of  God's  Subjects  hate  him,  the  lefs  will  they  be  to 
blame.  For  the  more  any  do  really  hate  God,  the  lefs 
able  will  they  be  to  love  him.  The  more  avcrfe  to  his 

Law, 


and  diftmguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   283 

Law,  the  lefs  able  to  keep  it.  And  therefore  fmce  our 
Inability  arifes  from  fuch  a  Root,  the  more  unable  we  be 
to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts  and  yield  a  perfect  Obedi 
ence  to  all  his  Laws,  the  more  vile,  guilty,  Hell-deferving 
we  be,  and  the  more  unworthy  of  Pity.  So  that  this  our 
moral  Inability  and  Impotency,  or  rather  Obftinacy^  was  in 
the  Nature  of  Things  fo  far  from  extenuating  our  Guilt 
and  moving  the  divine  Pity,  that  it  was  the  ftrongeft  Evi 
dence  of  our  exceeding  Vilenefs,  and  as  it  were  a  mighty 
Bar  and  great  Difcouragement  in  the  Way  of  God's  ever 
entertaining  any  Defigns  of  Mercy  towards  us.  It  was  like 
the  great  Mountains ,  fo  that  nothing  but  an  infinite  Good- 
nefs  could  have  ever  furmounted  it.  And  in  this  Light 
muft  we  view  our  felves  and  our  Inability,  and  become 
Self-condemned  before  God,  or  we  fhall  never  like  it  that 
God  looks  upon  us  as  he  does,  nor  ever  be  able  to  look 
upon  his  Grace  in  the  Gofpel  in  the  fame  Light  with  him, 
nor  can  we  ever  heartily  approve  of  and  fall  in  with  that 
Way  of  Salvation. 

When  we  areunder  fufficicnt  outward  Ad  vantages  to  come 
to  know  what  Kind  of  Being  God  is,  and  yet  after  all  fee  no 
Beauty  in  him,  nor  efteem  him  ;  it  muft  be  either  becaufe 
we  are  intolerably  bad  in  ourTemper,  or  elfe  becaufe  he  is 

not  truly  and  indeed  a  lovely  and  amiableBeing. When 

we  fay,  we  can't  love  him,  under  a  fond  Notion  that  we  are 
hereby  excufed  and  are  not  to  blame  •,  we  implicitly  fay, 
that  we  are  well  enough  difpofed  and  are  of  a  good  Tem 
per,  but  God  is  fuch  an  hateful  Being  that  we  cannot  love 
him.  There  is  nothing  in  him  to  be  loved.  So  that  to  lay, 
we  CAN'T,  under  a  Notion  of  extenuating  our  Guilt,  cafts 
the  higheft  Reflection  upon  God  imaginable,  and  indeed  is 
big  with  the  blackeft  Blafphemy.  W"e  had  as  good  fay, 
"  It  is  not  owing  to  us  that  we  don't  loveGod,  but  to  him. 
"  We  would  readily  love  him,  if  there  was  any  Thing  in 
"  him  for  us  to  love  :  but  there  is  not,  and  fo  we  can't ; 
"  and  therefore  be  not  to  blame." 

To  fuppofe  therefore  that  God  in  the  Gofpel  confiders 
us  as  being  the  lefs  to  Blame  for  this  our  Inability, /and 
from  thence  is  moved  to  pity  us  ;  is  the  very  fame  Thing 
in  effect,  as  to  fuppofe  that  God  owns  himfelf  a  hateful, 

unlovely 


284         True  Religion  delineated       D  i  s .  I . 

unlovely  Being,  and  thinks  it  a  great  Hardfhip  that  his 
poorCreatures  fhould  be  forced  to  love  him,  or  be  damned  ; 
and  therefore  repents  that  ever  he  was  fo  fevere,  or  ever 
made  fuch  a  Law,  and  is  forry  tor  them,  and  will  do  better 
by  them  for  Time  to  come.  But  how  horrid  a  Thought 
is  this !  It  cafts  the  higheil  Reflection  upon  God,  and  upon 
his  holy  Law,  and  quite  deftroys  all  the  Grace  of  the  Gof- 
pel.  No,  no  !  God  knew  well  enough  how  the  Cafe  flood. 
He  was  confcious  to  his  own  infinite  Excellency,  and  to  the 
infinite  Reafonableneis  of  his  Law.  He  knew  the,  hellifh 
Temper  of  an  apoftate  rebellious  Race.  And  verily  he 
was  GOD  and  not  Man,  or  he  would  have  doomed  the 
whole  World  to  Deftruction  without  any  Pity  or  fo  much 
as  one  Thought  of  Mercy.  Herein  was  Love,  not  that  we 
loved  God  \  but  that  God  loved  us,  and  fent  bis  Son  to  be 
a  Propitiation  for  our  Sins,  i  Joh.  4.  10.  While  we  were 
Sinners  and  Enemies,  Rom.  5.  8,  10.  and  moil  flrongly 
averfe  to  a  Reconciliation  2  Cor.  5.  20. 

4.  Nor  did  his  Defigns  of  Mercy  take  their  Rife/m;; 
any  Expectation  that  a  rebellions,  guilty,  peri/bing  World  would 
be  fo  good,  as  of  their  Accord  ever  heartily  thank  him  for 
it.  No,  he  knew  well  enough  how  it  would  be ;  that  many 
would  make  light  of  it,  and  go  their  Ways,  one  to  his 
Farrn,  another  to  his  Merchandife  •,  and  that  others  would 
be  affronted,  and  fome  fo  very  angry  that  they  would  take 
his  Meflengers,  and  flone  one,  and  beat  another,  and  kill 
another,  and  finally  would  crucify  his  Son.  And  he  ex 
pected  that  Mankind  in  general  would  be  difpofed  to  hate 
his  Law,  and  pervert  his  Gofpel,  and  refift  his  Spirit  •,  and 
never  one  in  all  the  World,  repent  and  convert,  and  come 
and  humble  himfelf  before  him,  and  blefs  his  holy  Name ; 
unlefs  brought  thereto  by  his  own  All-conquering  Grace. 

Mat.  21.  33 — 39.  and  22.  i 7.  Luk.  14.  16 23. 

i  Cor.  3.  6,  7. 

So  that,  from  the  whole,  it  is  very  plain,  God  was  not 
moved  to  entertain  Thoughts  of  Mercy  towards  Mankind, 
neither  under  a  Notion  that  they  had  been  in  any  Refpect 
hardly  dealt  with,  nor  under  a  Notion  that  their  Impotency 
rendered  them  in  any  Meafure  excufable,  nor  under  a  No 
tion  that  there  was  any  Good  in  them  or  to  be  expe&ed 

from 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits .   285 

from  them  :  but  on  the  contrary,  he  looked  upon  the 
original  Conflitution  with  Adam  to  be  holy,  jtift  and  good, 
and  that  upon  that  Foot  all  Mankind  delerved  all  Ruin  ; 
and  he  loolced  upon  the  Law  of  Nature  alfo  holy,  juil  and 
good,  and  that  upon  that  Foot  a  wicked  World  deferved 
his  everlailing  Wrath  -,  and  he  looked  upon  them  altoge 
ther  criminal  for  their  Impotency.  In  a  Word, he  looked 
upon  them  voluntary  in  their  Rebellion,  and  obilinate  in 
their  Enmity,  and  infinitely  unworthy  of  the  leaft  Pity  *, 
yea,  fo  unworthy  of  Pity,  that  to  iecure  his  own  Honour, 
and  to  lave  himfelf  from  juft  Reproach,  while  he  pitied 
them  and  mewed  them  Mercy,  he  thought  it  needful,  that 
his  own  Son  Ihould  become  a  Mediator,  and  bear  their  Sin 
and  fuffer  for  their  Guilt,  and  fo  open  a  Way  for  the  ho 
nourable  Exercife  of  his  Mercy. 
To  conclade  therefore, 

5.  It  is  evident  that  his  Defigns  of  Mercy  took  their 
Rife  merely,  absolutely  and  entirely  from  himfelf -y  from  his 
cwn  infinite  Benevolence,  from  his  fcif -moving  Goodnefs  and 
fovereign  Grace.  GOD  fo  loved  the  World 

As  for  us,  we  lay  in  the  open  Field  of  Perdition,  pol 
luted,  perifhing  in  our  Blood  and  Guilt  :  and  it  was  per 
fectly  right,  that  the  righteous  Sentence  of  the  Law  fhould 
be  executed  upon  us.  And  God  had  been  for  ever  glorious 
in  the  everlaiting  Ruin  of  a  rebellious  World.  There  was 
nothing  in  our  Circumltarices,  all  Things  confidered,  of  the 
Nature  of  a  Motive  to  Pity.  We  were  too  bad  to  deferve 
any  Pity  or  Relief.  Yea,  fo  bad,  that  the  great  Cover - 
nour  of  the  World  could  not,  without  counteracting  all 
good  Rules  of  Government,  ihew  anyJVIercy  but  by  the 
Interpofition  of  his  own  Son,  to  ftand  and  die  in  our  Room 
and  Stead.  So  that  inflead  of  any  motive  to  Pity,  there 
was  every  Thing  to  the  contrary.  Our  infinite  ill  Defert 

lay  as  an  infinite  Bar  in  the  Way. Here  now  was  an 

Opportunity  for  infinite  Goodnefs  and  Self- moving  Mercy 
to  exert  it  felf,  in  the  moft  illuftrious  Manner  ;  in  defigning 
Mercy,  in  providing  a  Mediator,  and  in  opening  a  Door 
for  the  exercife  of  much  Grace  to  Mankind  in  general,  and 
of  fpecial  faving  Mercy  in  ten  Thoufand  Thoufand  Inilan- 
ces.-- — ~  There  was  nothing,  ab  extra,  froip-  \yithout  God 

himfelf, 


286  True  Religion  delineated     Dis.   II. 

himfelf,  to  move  and  put  him  on  to  luch  a  wonderful  and 
glorious  Enterpriie.  The  Motion  was  wholly  from  him- 
iclf,  from  his  Self-moving  Goodnefs,  from  his  good  Plea- 
ilire  according  to  theCounfel  of  his  own  Will.  Epb.  1.3 — 12. 
— No  wonder  therefore, the  Gofpel  every  where  celebrates 
die  Love  and  Goodnek,  Mercy  and  Grace  of  God,  as  being 
rich  and  free,  unparallel'd,  unfpeakable,  inconceivable,  in 
finitely  great  and  glorious,  as  difcovered  in  this  moil  won 
derful  of  all  God's  Works.  And  to  fuppofe  that  God  was 
under  any  Obligations  to  fhew  thefe  Favours,  would  be,  to 
undermine  and  overthrow  the  whole  Gofpel  •,  and  turn  a 
Deed  of  thefreeft  and  great  eft  Grace,  into  a  Work  of  mere 
Juftice.  Thus  we  fee  whence  God's  Thoughts  of  Mercy, 
towards  a  finful,  guilty  World,  had  their  Rife. 

He  had  in  View  a  great  variety  of  glorious  Defigns,  all 
infinitely  wife,  all  fuited  to  difplay  the  glorious  Perfections 
of  his  Nature,  and  bring  everlafting  Honours  to  his  great 
Name.  He  defigned  to  dcflroy  the  Works  of  the  Devil. 
Gen.  3.  15.  i  Job.  3.8.  Satan  had  induced  Mankind  to 
their  Rebellion  •,  and  had  perhaps  in  his  Conceit  too,  made 
himfelf  ftrong  againft  the  Almighty.  Fie  firft  rebelled 
himfelf,  and  now  he  had  brought  others  to  join  with  him, 
and  in  this  World  he  intended  to  rule  and  reign  ;  and  by 
the  whole  bring  much  Reproach  upon  the  rightful  Lord 
of  Heaven  and  Earth.  God  wrought  therefore  for  his 
greatName's  fake,  that  it  might  not  be  polluted ;  and  en- 
tred  upon  Methods  to  defeat  his  Defigns,  and  bring  his 
Kingdom  to  nought,  and  crum  the  Rebellion,  and  put  him 
to  open  Shame*  •,  and  at  length  bind  him  up  in  his  Chains, 
that  he  fhould  deceive  the  Nations  of  the  Earth  no  more ; 
and  give  all  Nations,  Languages  and  Tongues,  to  Jefus 
Chrift,  and  bring  the  whole  World  into  Subjection  to  him. 
Rev.  20.  i — 4.  He  defigned  to  difplay  his  gloriousGrace, 
in  bringing  Millions  of  this  feduced  apoftate  Race,  from  the 
Jaws  of  eternal  Deftruction  to  eternal  Glory.  Rom.  9.  23. 
Epb.2.j.  He  defigned  to  put  all  Mankind  in  a  new  State 
ot  Probation,  and  to  difplay  his  gloriousGoodnefs,Patience, 
Forbearance  and  Long-furfering  in  his  Dealings  with  the 
obflinate  and  finally  impenitent  in  this  World,  and  his 
glorious  Holinelg  and  Juftice  in  their  everlafting  Punifh- 

ment 


and  didinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits   287 

ment  in  the  World  to  come,  in  the  fame  Lake  of  Fire  and 
Brimftone,  which  was  prcpar'd  for  the  Devil  and  his  An 
gels,  with  whom  they  had  loincd  in  their  Rebellion  againfh 
the  Majcfty  of  Heaven.  Aft.  14.  17.  Rom.  2.  4.  &!  9.22. 
Mat.  25.  41.  In  a  Word,  he  defigned  to  take  Occaiion 
from  the  Apoftacy  of  Mankind,  in  innumerable  Inftances, 
in  this  World,  and  throughout  eternal  Ages  in  the  World 
to  come,-  to  difplay  all  his  glorious  Perfections  :  And  fo 
by  his  whole  Conduct,  to  exhibit  a  rnoft  perfect  and  exact 
Image  of  himfelf. 

Thus  we  fee,  that  his  Defigns  of  Mercy,  towards  a  rebel 
lious,  guilty,  undone  World,  took  their  Rife,  not  from  any 
Motives  in  us,  but  altogether  from  Motives  in  himfelf, 
from  the  infinite  boundlefs  Gcodnefs  of  his  Nature  and  his 
fovereign  good  Pleafure.  And  in  this  Light  muil  we 
view  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpel,  and  all  our  Encouragements 
to  hope  in  his  Mercy  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  muft  take  their 
Rife,  not  from  any  Thing  in  our  felves,  but  only  from  that 
felf-moving  Goodnefs  and  free  Grace  which  he  has  mani- 
fefted  thro'  JcfusChrift.  Rom. 3.  19,  20,  24.  Epb.  2.  8. 

And  thus  we  fee,  that  his  End,  as  to  the  Elect,  was  to 
bring  them  back  from  their  Apoftacy,  their  Rebellion  and 
Wickednefs  and  Ruin,  to  God  their  rightful  Lord  and 
Sovereign,  to  become  his  Servants,  to  love  him  and  live  to 
him  and  live  upon  him,  and  be  bleiTed  in  him  for  ever. 
And  in  this  Light  muft  we  view  the  Gofpel.  And  with 
this  it's  Defign  muft  we  heartily  fall  in.  And  being  en 
couraged  by  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpel,  to  hope  for  Accep 
tance  in  the  Sight  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  we  muft 
thro'Chrift  give  up  our  felves  to  God,to  be  hisServants  for 
ever.L«£.  i.  74.75.  2  Cor.  5.  20. Rom.  12.  i.T/V.2.n — 14. 

From  what  has  been  faid,  it  will  be  very  natural  to  make 
thefe  following  Remarks. 

REM.  i .  If  all  God  has  done  in  the  Gofpel  for  ourReco  - 
very  from  Ruin,  be  of  mere  free  Grace,  then  it  is  Self- 
evident  thai  God  was  under  no  Obligations  to  a  fallen,  finful, 
guilty,  rebellious  World  -,  but,  as  for  us,  might  have,  confiftent 
with  all  his  Perfections,  left  us  in  Ruin,  to  inherit  the  Fruit 
vf  our  Doings  and  the  Pumjhment  of  our  Sin.  He  was  under 
.no  Obligation  to  provide  a  Redeemer  or  a  Sanctifier,  to 


288       True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  II. 

give  the  lead  Hint  of  a  Pardon,  or  take  any  Methods  to 
recover  us 'from  the  Power  of  Sin.  Fie  was  under  no  Ob 
ligations  to  deal  any  better  by  us,  than  would,  in  the  whole, 
be  no  worle  than  Damnation.  By  the  Conftitution  with 
Adam,  and  by  the  Law  of  Natuie,  this  would  have  been 
our  proper  Due.  Every  thing  therefore,  whereby  our  Cir- 
cumftances  have  been  rendered  better  than  the  Circumftan- 
ces  of  the  Damned,  God  was  under  no  Obligations  unto  , 
but  all,  over  and  above  that,  has  been  of  free  and  fovereign 
Grace.  God  was  at  Liberty,  as  to  us,  not  to  have  done 
any  of  thefe  Things  for  us.  Yea,  there  were  on  our  Part 
might)  Hindrances  to  prevent  the  Mercy  of  God,  and  to 
put  a  Bar  in  the  Way  of  the  free  and  honourable  Exercife 
of  his  Grace.  Even  fuch  Hindrances,  that  nothing  could 
remove  them,  but  the  Blood  of  Chrift.  Hence, 

REM.  2.  MankinUw&TC)  by  their  Fall,  brought  into  a  State 
cf  Being  infinitely  worfe  than  not  to  be.  The  Damned  inHell 
no  doubt  are  in  fuch  a  State,  clfe  their  Punimment  would 
not  be  infinite  ;  as  Juflice  requires  it  fhould  be.  ButMan- 
kind  by  the  Fall  were  brought  into  a  State,for  Subftance,  * 
as  bad  as  that  which  the  Damned  are  in.  For  the  Damned 
undergo  nothing  in  Hell,  but  what,  by  the  Conftitution 
with  Adam  and  the  Law  of  Nature,  all  Mankind  were  and 
would  have  been,  for  Subftance,  expofed  unto,  if  mere 
Grace  had  not  prevented.  And  according  to  what  was 
but  now  obferved,  God  was  under  no  more  Obligation, 
to  grant  any  Relief  to  Mankind,  in  this  their  fallen,  fin- 
ful,  guilty,  undone  Condition,  than  he  is  now  to  the 
Damned  in  Hell  ;  i.  e.  under  no  Obligations  at  all  :  but 
the  Way  for  Mercy  to  come  to  them  was  mightily  barred 
and  blocked  up,  by  the  infinite  Reafonablenefs  of  their  be 
ing  punifhed,  and  their  infinite  Unworthinefs,  in  the  very 
Nature  of  Things,  as  the  Cafe  then  flood,  of  ever  being 
pitied.  So  that  Mankind  were  by  the  Fall  brought  into 
a  State  of  Being,  (in  Scripture  called  Condemnation  and 

Wrath, 

*  For  Su&Jlancej  I  fay,  becaufe  it  mufl  be  remjembred  that  the  faperadded 
Punifhment  infli&ed  upon  any  in  Hell,  for  defpiling  the  Gofpel,  muft 
be  left  out  of  the  Account.  For  all  this,  is  over  and  above,  what, 
by  the  Conftitution  with  Adam  and  theLaw  of  Nature,  Mankind  'Were 
or  ever  would  have  been 


and  diftinguijbedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  289 


Rom.  5.  18.  Epb.  2.  3.)  for  Subftance,  as  bad  as 
that  which  the  Damned  are  in  •,  fo  that  if  the  Damned  are 
in  a  State  of  Being,  infinitely  worfe  than  not  to  be,  as  no 
Doubt  they  are  •,  then  fo  alfo  were  Mankind.  And  Man 
kind  being  actually  brought  into  fuch  a  State  by  the  Fall, 
is  what  renders  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpel,  fo  inconceivable, 
fo  unfpeakable  in  it's  Greatnefs,  and  fo  ablblutely  free.  To 
deny,  that  Mankind  by  the  Fall  were  brought  into  fuch  a 
State,  is  the  fame  Thing  in  Effect  as  to  deny  original  Sin, 
and  undermine  the  glorious  Grace  of  the  Gofpel. 
•  OBJ.  But  how  could  God^  confiftent  'with  his  P  erf  e£f  ions  ^ 
fut  us  into  a  State  of  Being,  worfe  than  not  to  be  ?  or  how 
can  we  ever  thank  God  for  fuch  a  Being  ? 

ANS.  Our  being  brought  into  fo  bad  an  Eftate  was 
not  owing  to  God,  i.  e.  to  any  Fault  in  him,  but 
merely  to  our  felves,  to  our  Apoftacy  from  God.  It 
was  our  Apoftacy  from  God,  that  brought  all  this  upon 
us,  in  Way  of  righteous  Judgment.  Rom.  5.  18,  19. 
Our  being  in  fo  bad  a  State  is  no  more  owing  to  God,  than 
theirs  is  who  are  now  in  Hell.  They  deferve  to  be  inHell, 
according  to  a  Law  that  is  holy,  juft  and  good  ;  and  we 
deferve  to  be  in  fuch  a  State,  according  to  the  Conflitutioa 
made  with  Adam^  which  was  alfo  holy,  juft  and  good  :  and 
therefore  the  one  may  be  confident  with  the  divine  Per 
fections,  as  well  as  the  other.  It  cannot  be  difagreeable  to 
the  Holmefs,  Juftice,  and  Goodnefs  of  the  divine  Nature, 
to  deal  with  Mankind  according,  to  a  Conftitution,  in  it's 
own  Nature,  holy,  juft,  and  good. 

Now  in  as  much  as  God  did  virtually  give  Being  to  all 
Mankind,  when  he  Ueffed  our  firft  Parents,  and  faid,  Be 
fruitful  and  multiply  -,  and  in  as  much  as  Beingy  under  the 
Circumftances  that  Man  was  then  put  in  by  God,  was  very 
defireable  :  we  ought  therefore  to  thankGod  for  our  Being  9 
confidered  in  this  Light,  and  juftify  God  in  all  the  Evil 
that  is  come  upon  us  for  our  Apoftacy.  For  the  Lord  is 
righteous,  and  we  are  a  guilty  Race. 

Thofe  in  Hell  are  in  a  State  of  Being,  infinitely  worfe 
than  not  to  be  •,  and  inftead  of  thanking  God  for  their 
Beings,  they  blafpheme  his  Name  :  but  ftill  there  is  no  juft 
Ground  for  their  Conduct.  They  have  no  Reafo'n  to  think 

V  hard 


29°          Irue  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

hard  of  God  for  damning  them  :  they  have  no  Reafon  to 
blame  him  :  they  have  noReafon  to  efteem  him  e'er  the  lefs 
for  it :  he  does  what  is  fit  to  be  done  :  His  Conduct  is 
amiable  ;  and  he  is  worthy  of  being  efteerned  for  doing  as 
he  does  -y  and  all  holy  Beings  will  always  efteem  him  for 
it.  (Rev.  19.  i, — 6.)  Therefore  the  Damned  ought  to  af- 
cribe  all  their  Evil  to  themfelves,  and  juftify  God,  and  fay, 
"  He  gave  us  Being,  and  it  was  a  Mercy,  and  he  deferves 
"  Thanks  •,  but  to  us  it  is  owing^that  we  are  now  in  a  State 
"  infinitely  worfe  than  not  to  be  :  God  is  not  to  blame  for 
"  that  ;  nor  is  he  the  lefs  worthy  of  Thanks  for  giving 
"  us  Being,  and  for  all  part  Advantages  which  we  ever 
"  enjoyed  :  for  the  Law  is  holy,  juft  and  good,  by  and 
"  according  to  which  we  fuffer  all  thefe  Things." 

So  here  :  Mankind  by  the  Fall,  were  brought  into  a 
State  of  Being  infinitely  worfe  than  not  to  be  -,  and  were 
they  but  fo  far  awake  as  to  be  fenfible  of  it,  they  would  no 
doubt  all  over  the  Earth  murmur  and  blafpheme  the  God 
of  Heaven.  But  what  then  ?  There  would  be  no  juft 
Ground  for  fuch  a  Conduct  We  have  no  Reafon  to  think 
hard  of  God,  to  blame  him,  or  to  efteem  him  e'er  the  lefs. 
What  he  has  done,  was  fit  and  right }  his  Conduct  was 
beautiful  •,  and  he  is  worthy  to  be  efteemed  for  it.  For  that 
Conftitution  was  holy,  juft  and  good,  as  has  been  proved. 
And  therefore  a  fallen  World  ought  to  afcribe  to  them 
felves  all  their  Evil,  and  to  juftify  God,  and  fay,  "  God 
<c  gave  us  Being  under  a  Conftitution  holy,  juft  and  good  ; 
"  and  it  was  a  Mercy.  We  fhould  have  accounted  it  a 
"  great  Mercy,  in  cafe  Adam  had  never  fallen  -,  xbut  God 
"  was  not  to  blame  for  this,  nor  therefore  is  he  the  lefs 
<c  worthy  of  Thanks.  All  that  we  fufFer,  is  by  and  accord- 
e  ing  to  a  Conftitution  in  it's  own  Nature  holy,  juft  and 
cc  good."  Thus  Mankind  ought  to  have  faid,  had  God 
never  provided  a  Saviour,  but  left  all  the  World  in  Ruin. 
Afld  thys  ought  they  to  have  juftified  God's  Conduct:,  laid 
all  the  Blame  to  themfelves, and  acknowleged  that  God  de- 
ferved  Praife  from  all  his  Works  ;  which,  as  they  came 
out  of  his  Hands,  were  all  'very  good.  Gen.  i ..  3 1 . 

OBJ.  But  altho9  we  were  by  the  Fall  brought  into  focb  a 
State  cfl^rath  and  Condemnation,  yet  now  we  are-delivered 

cut 


and  diftinguijhed  from  ail  Counterfeits,  291 

cut  of  it  by  Chrift -,  for  as  in  Adam  all  die,   fo  in  CHIUST 
fhall  all  be  made  alive. 

ANS.  Before  Men  believe  in  Chrift,  they  are  asjuftly 
expofed  to  divine  Vengeance,  as  if  Chrift  had  never  died, 
Job.  3.  1 8,  36.  And  there  is  nothing  to  keep  off  Ven 
geance,  one  Moment,  but  fovereign  Mercy ;  which  yet 
they  continually  affront  and  provoke.  Rom.  2.4,  5.  And 
they  are  fo  far  from  an  Inclination  to  turn  to  God  of  their 
t)wn  Accord,  that  they  are  difpofed  to  refift  all  the  Means 
ufed  to  reclaim  them.  Job.  3.19.  'Tis  true,  God  is  ready 
thro'  Chrift  to  receive  returning  Sinners,  and  invites  all  to 
return  thro'  him.  Thus  God  is  good  and  kind  to  an 
apoftate  World,  and  offers  us  Mercy.  God  is  not  to  blame 
that  we  are  in  fo  bad  a  Cafe  :  our  Deftruftion  is  of  our 
felves,  and  the  Lord  is  righteous.  —  But  ftill  it  is  evident, 
we  arc  in  a  perilhing  Condition, ;  and  fhall  certainly  perifh 
notwithftanding  all  that  we  of  pur  own  mere  Motion  lhall 
ever  do.  If  fovereign  Grace  don't  prevent,  there  is  no 
hope. 

OBJ.  But  if  Mankind  are  thus  by  Nature  Children  of 
Wfath^  in  a  State  of  Being  worfe  tban  not  to  be^  and  even  after 
fill  that  Chrift  has  done^  are  in  themfelves  thus  utterly  undone ; 
how  can  Men  have  a  Heart  to  propagate  their  Kind  ?  or  ac 
count  it  a  Bleffing  to  have  a  numerous  Pofterity  ? 

ANS.  'Tis  manifeft  by  their  Conduct,  by  their  neglect 
ing  their  Children's  Souls,  and  caring  only  for  their  Bodies, 
that  Parents  in  general  do  not  propagate  with  any  Con 
cern  about  the  fpiritual  and  eternal  Well-being  of  their 
Pofterity.  'Tis  probable,  in  general  they  are  influenced  by 
the  fame  Motive  that  the  brutal  World  be,  together  with 
a  Defire  to  have  Children  under  the  Notion  of  a  worldly 
Comfort,  without  fcarce  a  Thought  of  what  will  become  of 
their  Pofterity  for  Eternity. 

As  to  godly  Parents,  they  have  fuch  a  Spirit  of  Love  to 
God  and  Resignation  to  his  Will,  and  fuch  an  Approba 
tion  of  his  Difpenfations  toward  Mankind,  and  fuch  a 
liking  to  his  whole  Scheme  of  Government,  that  they  arc 
content  that  God  mould  govern  the  World  as  he  does,  and 
that  he  fhould  have  Subjects  to  govern,  and  that  them 
felves  and  their  Pofterity  Ihould  be  under  him,  and  at  his 

V  2  difpofe 


True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

difpofe.  Nor  are  they  without  hopes  of  Mercy  for  their 
Children,  from  ibvereign  Grace  thro'  Chrift,  while  they  do- 
thro'  him  devote  and  give  them  up  to  God,  and  bring 
them  up  in  the  Nurture  and  Admonition  of  the  Lord. 
And  thus  they  quiet  themfelves  as  to  their  Souls.  And. now 
confidering  Children  merely  as  to  this  Life,  'tis  certain, 
that  it  is  a  great  Comfort  and  BlefTmg  to  Parents,  to  have, 
a  promiling  Offspring. 

As  to  carnal  Men,  fmce  they  are  Enemies  to  God  and 
to  his  holy  Law,  it  is  no  wonder  they  are  at  Enmity  againfb 
his  whole  Scheme  of  Conduct  as  Governour  of  the  World. 
Did  they  underftand  how  God  governs  the  World,  and  firm 
ly  believe  it,  I  doubt  not,  it  would  make  all  their  native 
Enmity  ferment  to  Perfection.  They  would  wifh  them 
felves  to  be  from  under  God's  Government,  and  hate  that 
he  fhould  ever  have  any  Thing  of  theirs  to  govern.  As 
foon  as  ever  they  enter  into  the  eternal  World,  and  fee  how 
Things  really  be,  this  will  no  doubt  actually  be  their  Cafe. — • 
In  a  Word,  if  Men  heartily  like  the  original  Constitution 
with  Adam^  as  being  in  it's  own  Nature  holy,  juft  &  good, 
this  Objection  will,  upon  mature  Confideration,  be  lio 
Difficulty  with  them  •,  and  if  they  do  not,  'tis  not  any 
Thing  that  can  be  faid,  will  fatisfy  them.  But  wicked 
Men's  not  liking  the  Conftitution,  does  not  prove  it  to  be 
bad. 

OBJ.  //  carft  be  thought  a  BleJJing  to  have  Children,  if  the 
tnoft  of  them  are  like  finally- to  ferifh. 

ANS.  The  moil  of  Abraham's  Posterity,  no  doubt,  for 
above  thefc  threeThoufandYears,have  been  wicked  and  have 
perilhed  -,  and  God  knew  before- hand  how  it  would  be  ; 
and  yet  he  promifed  fuch  a  numerous  Poflerity  under  the 
Notion  of  a  great  BlefTing,  Gen.  22.  For  confidering  Chil 
dren  merely  as  to  this  Life,  they  may  be  a  great  Bleffing 
and  Comfort  to  Parents,  and  an  Honour  to  them  :  but  it 
is  very  fitting,  our  Children  fhould  be  God's  Subjects,  and 
under  his  Government  :  nor  be  they  e'er  the  lefs  Blefiings 
to  us  as  to  this  Life,  betaufe  they  muft  be  accountable  to 
God  in  the  Life  to  come.  They  may  be  a  great  Comfort 
to  us  in  this  Life ;  and  we  are  certain,  God  will  do  them 
no  Wrong  in  the  Life  to  come.  All  Men's  murmuring 

Thoughts 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   293 

Thoughts  about  this  Matter  arife  from  their  not  liking 
God's  Way  of  governing  the  World. 

REM.  3.  fhen  do  ive  begin  to  make  ajuft  Ejlimate  of  the 
Grace,  the  free,  rich  and  glorious  Grace  of God,  the  great  Go- 
vernour  of  the  World,  difplayed  in  the  Go/pel,  when  we  confide* 
Mankind,  by  and  according  to  a  Conftitution  and  a  Law,  both 
cf  them  holy,  juft  and  good,  affitally  in  fuch  a  ruined  State. 
Now  we  may  begin  a  little  to  fee  the  natural  Import  of 
thofe  Words,  God  fo  loved  the  World.  Such  a  World  was 
it,  that  he  loved  and  pitied.  A  World  in  fo  bad  a  State. 
A  perilhing  World,  finful,  guilty,  juftly  condemned,  alto 
gether  helplefs  and  undone.  And  to  have  a  Door  opened 
by  the  Blood  of  Chriit,  for  us  to  be  railed  from  the  Depth 
of  fuchRuin,  is  wonderfulGrace  indeed. — And  in  thisLight 
does  the  Matter  ftand  in  Scripture- Account.  For  accord 
ing  to  that,  By  the  Offence  of  one,  Judgment  came  upon  all  to 
Condemnation,  and  by  the  Dif obedience  of  one,  many  were  made 
(or  conftitutedj  Sinners,  by  Virtue  of  the  original  Confti 
tution  with  Adam.  *  Rom.  5.  18,  19.  And  all  the  World 
ft ood  guilty  before  God,  by  Virtue  of  their  want  of  Confor 
mity  unto  and  Tranfgreffion  of  the  Law  of  Nature  or  moral 
Law.  Rom.  3.  9, — 19.  And  hence  Mankind  were  confi- 
dered  as  being  under  Sin,  and  under  the  Curfeof  the  Law, 
and  under  the  Wrath  of  God.  Rom.  3.  9.  GaL  3.  10.  Joh. 
3.  1 6.  Rom.  1. 1 8.  And  under  this  Notion  Chrift  was  ap 
pointed,  to  fave  bis  People  from  their  Sins,  Mat.  1.21.  to 
deliver  them  from  the  Wrath  to  come,  i  Thef.  i.  10.  and  to 
bring  it  to  pafs  that  whereas  by  the  Difobedience  cf  one  many 
were  made  Sinners,  fo  by  the  Obedience  of  one  many  might  be 
made  righteous,  Rom.  5.  19.  And  hence  the  Gofpel  fo 
mightily  magnifies  the  Grace  of  God,  his  Love  and  Gocd- 
nefs,  as  being  unparallePd,  unfpeakable,  inconceivable, 
paffing  Knowlege.  God  fo  loved  the  World,  fays  Cbrift. 
God  commendeth  his  Love,  faith  Paul.  Herein  is  Love,  fays 
John.  It  has  Height  and  Length,  Depth  and  Breadth.  It  is 
rich  Grace  -,  and  the  exceeding  Riches  of  Grace.  And  why  : 
why  is  it  fo  magnified  and  extolled  ?  why,  for  this,  among 

V  3  other 

*  Conftituted  Sinners,  it  is  in  the  Original  ;  for  it  was  07  Virtue  of  t!r< 
primitive  Conjlitution  with  Adam,  that  his  firft  Sin  laid  all  his  PcrH 
under  Sin,  Guilt  and  Ruirj, 


294         True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

ether  Reafons,  becaufe  all  this  was  done  while  we  did  not 
love  God,  while  we  were  Sinners,  while  we  were  Ungodly , 
while  we  were  Enemies^  while  we  were  expofed  to  Wrath^ 
guilty  before  God,  perifhing^  loft^  without  Strength.  Thus 
God  has  reprefented  it  in  his  Word,  his  Word  which  is  the 
Image  of  his  Mind,  and  which  fhews  133  how  he  looks 
upon  Things,  and  how  they  really  are.  See  Job.  3. 16,36. 
Rom.  5,  6,  7,  8.  i  Job.  4.  10.  Eph.  i.  7.  and  2.  7,  8. 
and  3.  19.  Mtf.  18.  n.  &c. 

Never  therefore  can  a  Sinner  rightly  underftand  the 
Gofpel  of  Chrift,  or  fee  his  Need  of  the  Provifion  therein 
made,or  in  any  Meafure  make  a  juft  Eftimate  of  the  Grace 
of  God  therein  difplayed,  until  he  is  in  fome  Meafure  con 
vinced  and  made  really  fenfible,  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  that 
he  is  actually  in  fuch  a  finful,  guilty,  helplefs,  undone  Con 
dition.  This  therefore  is  abfofutely  neceiTary,  in  order  to 
a  genuine  Compliance  with  the  Gofpel  by  Faith  in  Jefus 
Chrift.  L,uk,  5.  3 1.  For  the  whole  need  not  a  Phyjician,  but 

they  that  are  Jick. *  And  as  this  is  requifite  in  order  to 

the  firft  Act  of  Faith  •,  fo  for  the  fame  Reafon  muft  we  all 
our  Days  live  under  a  realifing  Senfe  of  this  our  finful, 
guilty,  undone  Eftate,  by  Nature,  and  in  our  felves,  in 
order  to  live  by  Faith.  And  this  will  make  Chrift  preci 
ous,  and  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpel  precious  •,  and  effectually 
"awaken  us  to  Gratitude  and  Thankfulnefs  ;  for  now  every 
Thing  in  our  Circumftances,  wherein  we  are  better  of  it 
the  Damned,  will  be  accounted  fo  great  a  Mercy,  and 
Effedt  of  mere  Grace.  And  fo  far  as  we  are  from  a 


clear  Sight  and  realifing  Senfe  of  this  our  finful,  guilty, 
\ttidone  Eftate  -,  fo  far  fhaii  we  be  infenfible  of  the  Preci- 
"o^lhefs  of  Chrift3and  the  freenefs  pf  Grace,and  the  gre^tnefs 
V|  God's  Mercy  tqwards  us. 

r>  TIiu?,  haying  confidered  the  Grounds  upon  which  the 
^rioil  high  God  did  look  upon  Mankind  as  being  in  a  pe- 
rifhing  Condition,  and  the  Motives  whereby  he  was  excited 
io  enter  upon  any  Methods  for  their  Recovery  •,  we  pro-  . 
cecvl  nov;  more  particularly  to  confider  the  Ways  and  Means 
:*z  Las  taken  and  ufed  to  bring  it  about. 

SEIJ  TICK 


and  dijlmguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   295 
SECTION     IIL 

Concerning  the  Nature    and  Necejjity    of 
SATISFACTION  for  Sin, 

I  am  now, 

III.  To  fhew  what  NeceJJity  there  was  fir  a  Mediator  ^ 
and  how  the  Way  to  Life  hasiteen  opened  by  him  whom  God 
has  provided.  It  is  plainly  fuppofed,  that  there  was  a  Ne- 
ceflity  of  a  Mediator,  and  of  fuch  a  one  too  as  God  has 
actually  provided,  in  order  to  our  Salvation  •,  for  otherwife 
it  had  been  no  Love  or  Goodnefs  in  God  to  have  given  his 
only  begotten  Son.  For  there  can  be  no  Love  or  Goodnefs 
in  his  doing  that  for  us  which  we  do  not  need,  and  without 
which  we  might  have  been  faved  as  well.  Nor  is  it  to  be 
fuppofed,  that  God  would  give  his  Son,  to  die  for  a  guilty 
World,  without  urgent  NeceJJity.  If  fome  cheaper  & -eafier 
Way  might  have  been  found  out,  he  would  furely  have 
fpared  his  beloved  Son :  he  had  no  Inclination  to  make 
light  of  his  Son's  Blood  :  it  was  a  great  Thing  for  a  GOD 
to  become  incarnate,  and  die ',  and  there  muft  therefore 
have  been  fome  very  urgent  Confiderations,  to  induce  the 
wife  Governour  of  the  World  to  fuch  an  Expedient.  And 
here  then  thefe  Things  may  be  particularly  inquired  into. 

1 .  What  Neceflity  was  there  of  Satisfaction  for  Sin  ? 

2.  What  Satisfaction  has  there  been  made  ?  And  where 
in  does  it's  Sufficiency  confift  } 

3.  How  has  the    Way  to  Life  been  opened  by  the 
Means  ? 

4.  What  Methods  has  the  great  Governour  of  the  World 
entered  upon,for  the  actualRecovery  of  finfulCreatures  ? 

i .  We  are  to  confider  what  Necejpty  there  was  of  Satis- 
faftion  for  Sin.  It  was  needful,  or  elfe  ne  Satisfaction  would 
have  been  ever  required  or  made.  And  the  Neceflity  was 
certainly  very  great  and  urgent,  Or  the  Father  would  never 
have  been  willing  to  have  given  his  S0#,orthe  Son  to  have 
undertaken  the  Work,  a  Work  attended  with  fo  much  La 
bour  and  Suffering.  But  why  was  it  necefTaiy  ?  This,  I 
think,  will  appear,  if  we  deliberately  and  feriouily  weigh 
thefe  Things, 

V  4  fx.)  Mat 


.296        True  Religion  delineated       Dis,  II. 

(i.)  That  God  the  great  &eator,  Preferver,  and  abfoiute 
Lord  of  the  whole  World,  is,  not  only  a  Being  of  infinite  Un 
der  fianding  and  almighty  Power,  but  alfo  a  Being  infinite  and 
Michcmgeable  in  all  moral  Propenfities  :  he  lovesRigbt  and  hates 
Wrong  to  an  inf*wte.D.egreey  and  unchangeably  :  cr  in  Scrip 
ture-Language,  he  thus  loves  Right  eoufnefs  and  bates  Iniquity. 
By  his  infinite  Underftanding,  he  fees  all  Things,  as  being 
what  they  really  are.  Whatfoever  is  fit  and  right,  he  be 
holds  as  being  iuch :  and  whatfoever  is  unfit  and  wrong, 
he  alfo  beholds  as  being  iuch.  And  as  are  his  Views,  fo  is 
the  Temper  of  his  Heart ,  he  infinitely  loves  that  which  is 
fit  and  right,  and  infinitely  hates  that  which  is  unfit  and 
'wrong.  Or  in  other  Words,  he  has  an  infinite  Scnie  of 
the  moral  Fitnefs  &  Untitnefs  of  Things, and  an  anfwerable 
Frame  of  Heart../.*,  infinitely  loves  the  one,  and  infinite 
ly  hates  the  other.  From  Eternity  God  has  had  an  All- 
comprehenfive  View  of  Things,  of  every  Thing  that  was 
pofiible  to  be.  or  that  actually  would  be,  and  of  all  theRelati- 
ons  oneBeing  would  bear  to  another,  and  the  Relation  that 
all.  would  bear  to  him,  and  has  feen  whatConduct  would  be 
right  and  fit  in  him  towards  them,  and  in  them  towards 
him  and  towards  one  another,  and  what  would  be  wrong  ^ 
and  from  Eternity  it  has  been  his  Nature,  infinitely  to  love 
that  which  is  right,  and  hate  that  which  is  wrong.  And 
this,  his  Nature  has  influenced  him  in  all  his  Conduct,  as 
moral  Governour  of  the  World  ;  and  he  has  given  fo 
bright  a  Reprefentation  of  it,  that  this  feems  to  be  the  firft 
and  moft  natural  Idea  of  God  that  we  can  attain.  It  fhines 
thro'  all  the  Scriptures,  thro'  the  Law  and  the  Gofpel,  and 
thro'  his  whole  Conduct  in  a  thoufand  Inflances. 

God  does  not  appear  to  be  a  Being  influenced,a6ted,  and 
governed  by  a  groundlefs  arbitrary  Self-Will,  having,  no 
Regard  to  right  Reafon,  to  the  moral  Fitnefs  andUnfitnefs 
of  Things  :  nor  does  he  appear  to  be  a  Being  governed  and 
a&ed  by  a  groundieisFondncfs  to  his  Creatures.  If  a  Thing 
is  not  right,  he  will  not  do  it,,  merely  becaufe  he  is  above 
Contrpui,  is  the  greateft  and  ilrongeft,  and  can  bear  down 
all  before  him.  Gen.  18.  25.  And  if  a  Thing  is  wrong,  he 
will  not  connive  at  it,  at  all*  becaufe  it  was  acted  by  his 
Creatures,  akho'  eve*  ib  dear  to  him,  and  altho'  the  moft 

exalted 


and  diftinguifhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.    297 

exalted  in  Dignity.,  Honour  andPriyiledges.  For  Inftance, 
\hzfinning  Angels,  finning  Adamjhz  Israelites  in  the  Wilder- 
jiefs,  his  peculiar  People.  Mofes,  for  fpeaking  unadvifedly 
with  his  Lips,  mall  not  enter  into  Canaan.  David,  the 
Man  after  his  own  Heart,  he  finned ;  and  the  Sword,  fays 
God,  Jhall  not  depart  from  thy  Houfe.  Yea,  he  fpared  not 
his  own  Son,  when  he  flood  in  the  Room  of  Sinners.  If 
he  had  been  governed  by  any  Thing  like  human  Fondnefs, 
furely.  it  would  now  have  appeared.  And  befidcs,  if  that 
were  the  Cafe,  he  could  never  bear  to  fee  the  Damned  lie 
in  the  dreadful  Torments  of  Hell  to  all  Eternity.  Indeed, 
by  all  he  has  faid,  and  by  all  he  has  done,  he  appears  to 
have  an  infinite  Senfe  of  the  moral  Fitnefs  and  Unfi  tnefs  of 
Things,-  and  an  anfwerable  Frame  of  Heart  -,  and  to  be 
governed  and  actuated  by  this  Temper,  under  the  Direc 
tion  of  infinite  Wifdom.  Hence,  as  is  his  Nature,  fo  is 
the  Name  which  he  has  taken  to  himfelf,  viz.  The  HOLT 
ONE  of  IfraeL 

It  is  true,  he  is  a  Being  of  infinite  Goodnefs  &  Mercy  ;* 
yet  that  is  not  a  fond,  but  a  holy  Propenfity,  under  the  Go 
vernment  of  infinite  Wifdom  :  that  is,  he  confiders  the 
Happinefs  and  Good  of  his  Creatures,  his  intelligent  Crea 
tures,  as  being  what  it  is.  He  fees  what  it  is  worth,  and 
of  how  great  Importance  it  is  •,  and  how  much  to  be  de- 
fired,  in  it  felf,  and  compared  with  other  Things  :  he  fees 
it  to  be  juft  what  it  really  is,  and  has  an  anfwerable  Difpo- 
fition  of  Heart,  i.e.  Is  cleiirous  of  theirHappinefs,and  averfe 
to  their  Mifery,  in  an  exact  Proportion  to  the  real  Nature 
of  the  Things  in  themfelves.  It  is  true,  fo  great  is  his 
Benevolence,  that  there  is  not  any  Ad  of  Kindnefs  or  Grace 
fo  great,  but  that  he  can  find  in  his  Heart  to  do  it,  yea, 
has  an  infinite  Inclination  to  do  it  •,  if,  allThings  confider- 
ed,in  his  unerring  Wifdom,  he  judges  it  fit  and  beft.  And 
yet  at  the  fame  Time  it  is  as  true,  fuch  is  the  perfect  Rec 
titude  and  fpotlefs  Purity  of  his  Nature,  that  there  is  not 
any  Act  of  Juftice  fo  tremendous,  or  any  Mifery  fo  dread 
ful,  but  that  he  can  find  in  his  Heart,  his  Creatures  Hap 
pinefs  notwithstanding,  to  do  that  Act  of  Juftice,  and  in 
flict  thatMifery,  if  Need  fo  require  •,  yea,  he  has  an  infinite 
Inclination  thereto.  He  regards  their  Happinefs  and  Mi 
fery 


298          True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

fery  as  being  what  they  are,  of  very  great  Importance  in 
themfelves,  but  or  little  Importance  compared  with  fome- 
thmg  elfc.  He  had  rather  the  whole  Syftem  of  intelligent 
Creatures  fcould  lie  in  Hell  to  all  Eternity,  than  do  the 
very  leaft  Thing,  that  is  in  it  felf  unfit  and  wron*  Yea 

?  ut  £0Khis  °^  Ca?'  if  wc  could  p°ffibly 


<Ku  '  as 

he  would  be  done  by,  when  he  punilhes  Sinners  to  all 
Ltermty.    It  was  m  a  Sort  put  to  his  own  Cafe  once,  when 
his  Son,  who  was  as  himfelf,  ftood  in  the  Room  of  a  auihv 
World  ;  and  his  Hearc  did  not  fail  him  ;  but  he  appeared 
as  great  an  Enemy  to  Sin  then,  as  ever  he  did  or  will  do  to 
all  Eternity.     His  treating  his  Son  as  he  did  in  the  Garden 
and  upon  the  Croft,  immediately  himfelf  and  by  his  In- 
Tuments   was  as  bright  an  Evidence  of  the  Temper  of  his 
ieart,as  it  he  had  damned  the  whole  World      He  appear 
ed  what  he  was  then,  as  much  as  he  will  at  the  Day  of 
judgment.    He  is  infinite  in  Goodnefs  ;  yet  he  is  infinitely 
averfe  to  do  anyAft  ot  Kindnefs,  at  the  Expence  of  Juflice 
from  mere  Fondnefs  to  his  Creatures. 

And  as  his  Goodnefs  is  not  Fondnefs,   fo  his  Tuftice  is 
Cruelty.     He  infinitely  hates  that  which  is  unfit  and 
wrpng)  and  ,s  difpofed  to  tcftify  that  his  hatred  in  fome 
vifiblepublick  Manner,  by  inflifting  fome  proportionable 
Fummment.     Not  becaufe  Sinners  hurt  him,  and  fo  make 
Him  angry  and  revengeful  ;  for  their  Obedience  can  do  him 
no  good,  nor  their  Difobedience  any  hurt.  Job  35.6,7  Nor 
indeed  fomuch  becaufe  they  hurt  themfelves  ;  for  if  they  did 
wrong  in  no  other  Helped:,  he  would  never  treat  them  with 
luch  Severity.  But  this  is  the  Truth  of  the  Cafe  j  the  great 
Governour  of  the  World  has  an  infinite  Senfe  of  the  moral 
JMtneis  and  Unfitnefs  of  Things,  and  an  anfwerable  Frame 
feart.     And  fo  he  infinitely  loves  that  which  is  fit,  and 
rnimands  and  rewards  it  ;  and  infinitely  hates  the  contrary. 
Tbids  and  punilhes  it.—  Only  it  muft  be  remembered, 
the  Rewards  he  grants  to  the  good,  are  of  mere  Bounty 
to  them,  becaufe  they  can  deferve  nothing.  Rom.  11.35 
But  the  Punifhments  he  inflids  on  the  Wicked,  arc  pure 
-ice,  becaufe  they  deferve  all.  Rom,  6.  %3.  For  altho' 
Creatures  canno:  merir  Good  at  the  Hands  or  God,  from 

whorq 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   299 

whom  they  receive  all,  and  to  whom  they  owe  all  •,  yet 
they  can  merit  Evil.  Neverthelefs  Rewards  and  Punifh- 
ments  are  both  alike  in  this  Refpedl,  viz.  that  they  are 
vifible  publick  Teftimonies  born  by  the  Governour  of  the 
World,  to  the  moral  Amiablenefs  of  Virtue,  on  the  one 
Hand,  and  to  the  moral  Hatefulnefs  of  Vice,  on  the  other. 
The  one  is  not  the  Effed  of  Fondnefs,  nor  the  other  of 
Cruelty  :  but  the  one  refults  from  the  Holinefs  and  Good* 
nefs  of  the  divine  Nature,  and  the  other  from  his  Holinefs 
and  Juftice.  By  the  one,  it  appears  how  he  loves  Virtue, 
and  how  exceeding  bountiful  he  is  •,  and  by  the  other,  how 
he  hates  Sin,  and  how  much  he  is  difpofed  to  difcounte- 
nance  it,  by  treating  it  as  being  what  it  is. 

Thus,  I  fay,  in  the  firft  Place,  we  muft  confider  God,the 
fupreme  Governour  of  the  World,  as  a  Being,  not  only  of 
infinite  Underftanding  and  almighty  Power,  but  alfo  infi 
nite  and  unchangeable  in  all  moral  Propenfities  :  As  one 
having  a  perfect  Senfe  of  the  moral  Fitnefs  and  Unfitnefs 
of  Things,  and  an  anfwerable  Frame  of  Heart.  Or  in  Scrip 
ture-Language,  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God  Almighty  ;  the 
holy  one  of  Ifrael.  TJfc  Lord  God  gracious  and  merciful^  but 
by  no  Means  clearing  the  guilty.  Of  -purer  Eyes  than  to  behold 
Iniquity.  Who  lovetb  Righteoufnefs  and  hateth  Iniquity.  Who 

render :s  to  every  one  according  to  tbsir  Doings •,  &c. 

Without  a  right  Idea  of  God  the  fupremeGovernour  of  the 
World,  and  a  realifmg  living  Senfe  of  him  on  our  Hearts, 
it  is  impoflible  we  fhould  rightly  underftand  the  Methods 
he  has  taken  to  open  a  Way  for  his  Mercy  to  come  out 
after  a  rebellious  guilty  World,  or  truly  fee  into  the 
Grounds  of  his  Conduct,  the  Reafons  of  his  doing  as  he 
has  done.  If  we  know  God,  and  have  a  Tafte  for  moral 
Beauty,  wefhall  be  in  a  Difpofition  to  underftand  the  Gof- 
pel ;  butotherwiie  we  fhall  not.  Job.  7.  17.  and  8.  47. 
For  in  the  whole  of  this  great  Affair  of  our  Redemption,  he 
has  afted  altogether  like  himfelf. 

(2.)  God  is  infinitely  excellent  ^glorious  and  amiable  jn  being 
what  be  is.  His  having  fuch  a  Nature  or  Temper,  and  at 
the  fame  Time  being  of  infinite  Underftanding  and  al 
mighty  Power,renders  him  infinitely  excellent,  glorious  and 
amiable,  far  beyond  the  Conceptions  of  any  finite  Mind. 

Ifai. 


300        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  II. 

Ifai.  6.  3.  Holy\  Holy,  Holy  Lord  God  Almighty,  the  whole 
Earth  is  full  of  thy  Glory. 

Hence,  God  loves,  efleems  and  delights  in  himfelf  infinitely. 
Not  indeed  from  what  we  call  a  felfiih  Spirit  j  for  could  we 
fuppofe  there  was  another  juft  what  he  is,  and  himfelf  an 
Inferior,  he  would  love,  efteem  and  delight  in  that  other, 
as  entirely  as  he  does  now  in  himfelf.  It  is  his  being  what 
is,  that  is  the  Ground  of  his  Self-Love,  Efteem  &  Delight. 

Hence  again,  He  loves  to  eft  like  himfelf,  in  all  his  Con- 
duel:  as  moral  Governour  of  the  World,  as  entirely  as  he 
loves  himfelf ;  and  it  is  as  vnich  contrary  to  his  Nature^  to 
counteract  the  Temper  cf  his  Heart ,  in  his  pubiick  Conduct, 
as  to  ceafe  to  be  what  he  is.  And  the  plain  Reafon  is,  that 
there  is  the  fame  Ground  for  the  one  as  for  the  other.  He 
loves  himfelf,  becaufe  he  is  moft  excellent,  in  being,  what 
he  is  :  And  for  the  fame  Reafon,  he  loves  to  act  like  him 
felf,  becaufe  that  is  moil  excellent  too.  He  cannot  be  wil 
ling  to  ceafe  to  be  of  that  Temper  or  Nature  he  is  of,  be 
caufe  it  is  moft  excellent  •,  and  for  the  fame  Reafon,  he 
cannot  be  willing  to  counteract  it,  becaufe  it  is  moil  excel 
lent  to  act  agreeably  to  it  in  all  Things.  He  is  under  Ne- 
ceffity  to  love  himfelf  ;  and  he  is  under  the  fame  Neceflity 
to  act  like  himfelf.  Gen.  18.  2£.  Hence  it  is  a  common 

*j 

Thing  for  God  in  great  Earneftnefs  to  fay  in  his  Word,  1 
will  do  fo  andfo,  and  theyfiall  KNOW  THAT  I  AM 'THE 
LORD.  As  if  he  fhould  fay,  "  A  guilty  rebellious  Race 
"  may  think  and  fay  what  they  will  of  me,  yet  I  am  what 
"  I  am,  and  I  will  act  like  my  felf,  and  all  the  World  mall 
"  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  z.  e.  that  I  am  what  I  pretend 
"  to  be  :  They  fhall  know  it  by  my  Conduct,  fooner  or 
«  later." 

(3.).  God  cannot  he  f aid  to  att  like  himfelf ^unlefs  he  appears^ 
as  great  an  Enemy  to  &'»,  in  his  pubiick  Government  of  the 
World)  as  he  really  is  at  Heart.  If  his  Conduct  as  moral 
Governour  of  the  World,  the  whole  being  taken  together, 
fhould  look  with  a  more  favourable  Afpect  towards  Sin,  or 
appear  lefs  fevere,  than  really  he  is  \  then  it  is  felf-evident 
that  his  Conduct  would  not  be  like  himfelf,  nor  would  it 
tend  to  exhibit  a  true  Idea  of  him  to  all  attentive  Spec 
tators  in  all  his  Dominions.  If  his  Creatures  and  Subjects, 

in 


and dtjlmguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   301 

in  fuch  a  Cafe,  fhouid  judge  of  his  Nature  byhis  CcnduEl* 
they  would  neceffarily  frame  wrong  Notions  of  the  divine 
Being.  And  he  himfelf  muft  fee  and  know,  that. he  did 
not  act  like  himfelf ;  nor  appear  in  his  Conduct  to  be  what 
he  was  in  his  Heart. 

'But  God,  the  iupreme  Governour  of  the  World,  does  at 
Heart  look  upon  Sin  as  an  infinite  Evil,  and  his  Averfion 
and  Enmity  to  it  is  infinite.  He  looks  upon  it>  and  ( to 
fpeak  of  him  after  the  Manner  of  Men  )  is  affected  towards 
it,  as  being  what  it  really  is.  But  it  is  infinitely  wrong 
and  wicked,  for  us  not  to  love  him  with  all  our  Heart  and 
obey  him  in  every  Thing  :  The  leaft  Sin  is  an  infiniteEvil  •, 

and  fuch  he  fees  it  to  be,  and  as  fuch  does  he  abhor  it. 

The  infinite  Evil  of  Sin  does  not  confiil  in  it's  lefiening 
God's  eilential  Glory  or  BleiTednefs  ;  for  they  are  both  in- 
dependent  on  us,  and  far  out  of  our  Reach  :  nor  does  it. 
coniift  merely  in  it's  Tendency  to  make  us  miferable.  But 
in  it's  own  Nature  it  is  infinitely  wrong,  in  as  much  as  we 
are  under  infinite  Obligations  to  perfect  Holinefs.  Our  Ob 
ligations  to  love  God  with  all  our  Heart,  are  in  Proportion 
to  hisAmiabiencfs  -,  .but  that  is  infinite  :  not  to  do  fo  there 
fore  is  infinitely  wrong.  But,  as  has  been  faid,  God  has 
an  infiniteSenfe  of  the  moralFitnels  and  Unfitnefs  ofThings, 
and  an  aniwcrabie  Frame  of  Heart,  i.  e.  he  infinitely  loves 
that  which  is.jightjand  infinitely  hates  that  which  is  wrong. 
And  therefore  he  infinitely  hates  the  leaft  Sin. 

.  If  therefore  he  acts  like  himfelf,  he  muft  in  his  publick 
Government  of  the  World,  his  whole  Conduct  being  taken 
together,  appear  in  the  moft  evident  Manner  to  be  an  infi 
nite  Enemy  to  the  ieait  Sin.  He  muft  appear  infinitely 
fevere  againft  it  •,  and  never  do  any  Thing,  which,  all 
Things  confidered,  feemsto  look  at  all  with  another  Af- 
peft. 

(4.)  God  tbe  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World  can't  be  faid 
t&  appear  an  infinite  Enemy  to  Sin,  and  to  appear  infinitely 
f were  againft  it ^  and  that  without  the  leaft  Appearance  of  a 
favourable  AfpeB  towards  it,  in  his  Conduct ;  unlefs  he  does 
always  throughout  all  his  Dominions  ^not  only  in  Word  threaten^ 
but  in  FaSt  punifh  ity  with  infinite  Seventy •,  without  the  kaft 
Mitigation  or  Abatement >  in  any  one  Inflame  wbetfoever. 


302          True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II, 

If  he  fhould  never,in  hisGovernment  of  the  World,  fay  or 
do  any  Thing  againftSin,it  would  icem  as  ii  he  was  a  Friend 
to  it,  or  at  lead  very  indifferent  about  it.  If  he  fhould  fay 
and  not  do,  threaten  to  puniih,but  never  inflict  the  Punifh- 
ment,  his  Creatures  and  Subjects  might  be  tempted  to  fay, 
*'  He  pretends  to  be  a  mighty  Enemy  to  Sin,  and  that 
is  all."  It  he  fhould  generally  punifh  Sin  with  infinite 
Severity,  but  not  always  ;  there  would  at  leaft  be  fome 
favourable  Afpect  towards  Sin,  in  his  vifible  Conduct.  And 
his  Subjects  might  be  ready  to  fay,  u  If  he  can  fuffer  Sin 
"  to  go  half  unpunifhed,  why  not  altogether  ?  and  if  alto- 
"  gether  at  one  Time,  why  not  at  another  ?  And  if  he 
"  can  abate  the  threatned  Punifhment  in  fome  Degree,  in 
"  fome  Inftances ;  why  not  altogether,  in  all  Inftances  ? 
"  If  there  is  no  abfoluteNeceflity  that  Sin  fhould  be  punifn- 
"  ed,  why  does  he  ever  punifh  it  ?  But  if  it  be  absolutely 
"  necefTary,  why  does  he  ever  fuffer  it  to  go  unpunifhed  r" 
It  would  feem  at  leail,  by  fuch  a  Conduct,  as  if  Sin  was 
not  fo  exceeding  bad  a  Thing,  but  that  it  might  eicape 
Punifhment  fometimes  :  and  as  if  God  was  not  fuch  an 
infinite  unchangeable  Enemy  to  it,  but  that  he  might  be 
difpoied  to  treat  it  with  a  little  Favour.  In  a  Word,  if  God 
fhould  always  punifh  Sins,  not  one  excepted,  and  that 
throughout  all  his  Dominions,  and  yet  not  do  it  always 
with  infinite  Seventy  *,  but  in  fome  Inftances,  one  in  a  Mil 
lion  we'll  fay,  fhould  abate  a  little,  and  but  a  very  little  •, 
yet  fo  much  as  he  abates,  be  it  more  or  lefs,  fo  much  does 
he  treat  Sin  in  a  favourable  Manner,  and  fo  much  does  he 
fall  fhort  of  treating  it  with  due  Severity,  and  fo  far  does 
he  appear  in  his  Conduct  from  being  an  infinite  unchangea 
ble  Enemy  to  it.  So  that  it  is  very  evident,  that  he  cannot, 
in  hisConduct  as  moral  Governour  of  the  World,appear  an 
infinite  unchangeable  Enemy  to  Sin,  without  the  leaft  Ap 
pearance  to  the  contrary,  in  any  other  pofiible  Way  or 
Method*  than  by  always  punifhing  it  ^rith  infinite  Severity, 
without  the  leaft  Abatement,  in  any  one  Jnftance,  in  any 
Part  of  his  Dominions,  in  Time  or  Eternity.  And  this 
would  be  to  act  like  himfelf  •>  and  in  and  by  fuch  a  Conduct, 
he  would  appear  to  be  what  he  is.  But  to  do  otherwife, 
would  be  to  counteract  his  own  Nature,  and  give  a  falfe 

Reprefentation 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits   303 

Reprefentation  of  his  Heart,  by  a  Conduct  unlike  him- 
felf. 

Thus,  it  is  the  Nature  of  God,  the  great  Governor  of 
the  World,  in  all  his  Conduct,,  to  a£t  like  himfelf :  But  he 
can't  be  faid  to  act  like  himfelf,  unlefs  he  appears  as  great 
an  Enejny  to  Sin  and  as  fevere  againft  it,  as  he  really  is, 
without  the  lead  Shadow  of  the  contrary  :  but  his  Conduct 
cannot  appear  in  this  Light,  unlefs  he  does  in  Fact  puni|h 
Sin  with  infinite  Severity,  thro'out  all  his  Dominions,with- 
out  the  lead  Mitigation,  in  any  one  Inilance,  irr  Time  or 
Eternity  :  therefore,  it  is  the  Nature  of  God,  theGovernour 
of  the  World,  to  do  fo  :  And  therefore,  he  can  no  fooner, 
nor  any  eafier,  be  willing,  to  let  any  Sin  go  unpunifhed, 
than  he  can,  to  ceafe  to  be  what  he  is.  *  For,  as  was  before 
proved,  it  is  as  impolTible  for  him  to  act  contrary  to  his 
own  Nature,  as  it  is  to  ceafe  to  be  what  he  is  :  and  he  can 
confent  to  the  one,  as  eafily,  as  to  the  other. 

Hence,  we  may  learn,  this  is  really  a  Branch  of  the  Law 
of  Nature )  ¥hat  Sin  jhould  be  p unified :  it  refults  from  the 
Nature  of  God,  the  Governour  of  the  World :  it  was  no 
arbitrary  Conftitution  :  it  did  not  refult  from  the  divine 
Sovereignty.  It  would,  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  have 
been  no  Evil,for  Adam  to  have  eaten  of  theTree  ofKnowlege^ 
had  not  God  forbidden  it ;  herein  God  exercifed  his  fove- 
reign  Authority,  as  abfolute  Lord  of  all  Things  :  But  in 
threatning  Sin  with  eternal  Death,  he  acted  not  as  a  fove- 
reign,but  as  a  righteous  Governour :  his  Nature  prompted 
him  to  dp  fo  ;  he  could  not  have  done  otherwife.  As  it  is 
faid  in  another  Cafe,  It  is  impoflible  for  God  to  lie  \  fo  it  may 
be  faid  herevlt  is  impoflible  forGod  to  let  Sin  go  unpunifh 
ed.  As  he  .cannot  go  counter  to  himfelf  in  fpeaking,  fo 
neither  in  atting.  'Tis  as  contrary  to  his  Nature,  to  let  Sin 
go  unpunifhed,  as  it  is  to  lie  j  for  his  Jufiice  is  as  much 

himfelf, 

•  .*  God's  mild  and  kind  Conduft  towards   a  guilty  World  at  prefent,  is 

nothing  inconfiftent  with  this  ;    becaufe  Mankind  are  now  dealt  with 
in  and  thro'  a  Mediator,  upon  whom   CM-  Sim  ha<ve  been  laid,  and 

-  who  has  been  made,  a  Curfi  for  us.     In  Kim,our  Sins  have  been  treated^ 
.     with  infinite  '.'Severity,   without  the  leaf-  Abatement.    But   for  this, 

God's  Condu&,  no  doubt,would  be  very  incormr/jnt  with  his  Perfefti- 
ons. 


304        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

himfelf,  as  his  Truth  ;  and  it  is  therefore  equally  impcfli- 
ble  he  fhould  act  contrary  to  either. 

Hence,  thisBranch  of  the  Law  of  Nature  is  not  capable  cf 
any  Repeal  or  Abatement.  For  fmce  it  necefTarily  icfults 
from  the  Nature  of  God  the  Governour  of  the  World,  it 
muft  neceffarily  remain  in  Force  fo  long  as  Gcd  continues 
to  be  what  he  is.  Befides,  if  Gcd  fhould  repeal  it,  he  muft 
not  only  counteract  his  own  Nature,  but  alfo  give  great 
Occafion  to  all  hisSubjects  to  think,  he  was  once  too  fevere 
againft  Sin,  and  that  now  he  had  altered  his  Mind,  and 
was  become  more  favourable  towards  it :  Which  he  can  no 
more  be  willing  to  do,  than  he  can  be  willing  actually  to 
ceafe  to  be  what  he  is.  For  as  he  loves  himfelf  perfectly 
for  being  what  he  is,  fo  he  perfectly  loves  to  act  like  him 
felf,  and  to  appear  in  his  Conduct  juft  as  he  is  in  his  Heart. 
Therefore  our  Saviour  exprefly  aiTerts,  That  Heaven  and 
Earth  Jhall  pafs  away,  but  not  one  Jot  or  Tittle  of  the  Law 
jhaUfaii.  Matt.  5.  18. 

(  5 .  •)  But  all  this  notwithftandivg,  yet  Gcd  did^  of  his  infinite 
Gocdnefs  and  f over  sign  Gr  ace  ^  entertain  Defigns  of  Mercy  to 
wards  a  fallen  Werli^  a  rebellious  ^  cbftinate,  ftubborn,  finful^ 
guilty^  Hell- deferring  Race,  under  the  righteous  Condemnation 
of  the  Law^  a  Law  like  himfelf^  holy,  juft  and  good.  Particu 
larly,  he  defignedto  declare  himfelf  reconcilable  to  this  fm- 
ful,guilty World  ;  to  putMankind  into  a  new  State  of  Pro 
bation  ;  to  try  and  fee  if  they  would  repent  and  return  unto 
him, and  to  ufe  a  Variety  of  Methods  for  their  Recovery. — I 
And  to  make  Way  for  this,  he  defigned  to  reprieve  a  guilty 
World,  for  a  certain  Space  of  Time,  from  that  utter  Ruin 
he  had  threatned  ;  and  to  grant  a  Sufficiency  of  the  good 
Things  of  this  Life  for  their  Support,  while  in  a  State  of 
Probation :  and  he  alfo  purpoled  to  grant  a  general  Re- 
furrection  from  the  Dead,  that  thofe  who  (could  return  to 
him  and  be  reconciled,  might  be  moft  compleatly  happy 

in  the  World  to  come. And  becaufe  he  knew  their 

Averfion  to  a  Reconciliation,  therefore  he  defigned  to  ufe 
a  Variety  of  external  Means  to  bring  them  to  it. —  And  be 
caufe  he  knew  that  Mankind  would  be  univerfally  difpofed 
to  hate  all  fuch  Means  (not  liking  to  have  Gcd  in  theirKnow- 
hge)  and  caft  them  off  and  get  from  under  them,  therefore 

he 


and  dijlmgulfhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  305 

he  defigned  in  his  fovereign  Grace  to  felect  fome  Part  of 
Mankind,  (the  Jews  for  Inftance  )  with  whom,  by  his  ipe- 
cial  Providence,  by  the  more  open  or  fecret  Workings  of 

his  almighty  Power,  fuchMeans  fhould  be  continued. - 

And  in  the  Fulnefs  of  Time,  he  purpofed  alfo  to  ufe  equal, 
yea,  greater  Means  with  various  Nations  of  the  Gentiles. — 
And  becaufe  he  knew  that  all  externalMeans  notwithfland- 
ing,  yet  all  with  one  Confent,  would  refufe  to  repent  and 
convert  and  be  reconciled,  therefore  he  defigned  by  hisPro- 
vidence  and  by  the  more  common  Influences  of  his  Spirit, 

to  take  ibme  farther  Pains  with  many,   and  try  them. 

And  becaufe  he  knew  that  this  would  never  effedhially  per- 
fwade  them,  thro'  the  great  Perverfenefs  of  Mankind  ; 
therefore  he  defigned,  by  the  fpecial  Influences  of  his  holy 
Spirit,  thro1  his  almighty  Power  and  all-conquering  Grace, 
all  their  Obftinacy  notwithstanding,  yet  to  reclaim  and  re 
cover  and  bring  Home  to  himfelr,  a  certain  Number  in  this 
World  ;  and  here  train  them  up  for  eternal  Glory,  and  fi 
nally  bring  them  thereunto  :  and  all  of  his  fovereignGood- 

nefs,  and  all  to  the  Praife  of  the  Glory  of  his  Grace. 

And  towards  the  latter  End  of  that  Space  of  Time,in  which 
this  World  was  to  be  reprieved,  it  was  his  Purpofe  more 
eminently  to  deftroy  Satan's  Kingdom  on  Earth  and  hisln- 
fluence  among  Mankind,  and  more  generally-  recover  the 
guilty  Nations  from  his  Thraldom,  and  fet  up  his  own 
Kingdom  on  Earth,  to  ftourim  in  greatGiory  andProfperity 
a  Thoufand  Years.  Such  were  hisDefigris,  as  is  evident  by 
the  Event  of  Things,  and  from  the  Revelation  he  has  made 
in  his  Word  of  what  is  yet  to  come  to  pafs. 

(6.)  But  as  the  Cafe  then  flood.,  it  was not fit ,  that  any  of 
thefe  Favours  fliculd  be  granted  to  a  guilty  World^  #0,  not 
any  'Thing,  that  had  fo  much  as  (all  Things  conjideredj  the 
Nature  of  a  Mercy  ^  without  fome  fufflcient  Salvo  to  the  di^ 
inne  Honour..*  Indeed  fome  Kind  of  Reprieve,!  prefume, 

X  might 

OBJ.  But  if  God  could  mty  confident  with  his  P erf  eft  ions  >Jhew  anyMercy  to 
a  guilty  IVorld  'without  afujficient  Salvo  to  his  Honour  ;  ho<w  could  he% 
confident  with  his  Perfections, provide  them  a  Mediator  ?  Was  not  this  a 
great  Mercy  ?  And  ivhat  Salvo  had  he  for  his  Honour  in.  doing  of  it  ? 
.  The  very  doing  of  this  Thing  itfelf  was  to  fecure  his  own  Ho 
nour. 


306          "True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

might  have  been  granted  to  a  guilty  World,  fo  as  to  have 
fuffered  the  human  Race  to  have  propagated,  and  the 
whole  defigned  Number  to  have  been  born  ;  a  Reprieve, 
all  Things  confidered,  not  of  the  Nature  of  a  Mercy.  So 
the  fallen  Angels  feem  to  be  under  fomeKind  of  a  Reprieve; 
for  they  are  referred  in  Chains ,  to  the  Judgment  of  the  great 
Day,  as  condemned  Prifoners.  2  Pet.  2.  4.  And  hence,  a 
Number  of  them  once  cried  out,  Art  thou  come  to  torment 
us  before  th&ime  ?  Matt.  8.  29.  Yet  we  are  not  taught  in 

Scripture  to  look  upon  this,  as  a  Mercy  to  them. But 

the  Scriptures  teachus  toconfider  our  Reprieve,  our  worldly 
Comforts,  our  Means  of  Grace,  our  Space  for  Repentance, 
the  Reftraints  of  Providence  and  the  common  Influences  of 
the  Spirit,  as  Mercies;  yea,  as  great  Mercies.  Rom.  2.  4. 

Ifai.  5.  4.  Dcut.  10.  1 8.  Aft.  14.  17.  Rev.  2.  21. — 

All  thefe  common  Favours  therefore,  as  well  as  fpccial  and 
faving  Mercies,  were  not  proper  to  be  granted  to  fuch  a 
guilty,  Hell- deferving  World,  by  a  holy,  fin-hating,  fin- 
revenging  God.  This  was  not  to  treat  Mankind,as  it  was 
fit  and  meet  they  fhould  be  treated.  It  was  contrary  to 
Law,  that  any  Favour  at  all  fhould  without  a  Salvo  to  the 
divine  Honour,  be  granted  them  ;  for  by  Law  they  were 
all  doomed  to  Deflruction.  And  it  was  contrary  to  the 
divine  Nature,  to  do  anyThing  in  the  Cafe, that,  allThings 
confidered,  would  have,  in  the  leaft  Meafure,  a  favourable 
Afpect  towardsSin  ;  or  fo  much  as  in  the  leaft  tend  to  make 
him  feem  lefs  fevere  againft  it,  than  if  he  had  damned  the 
whole  World  for  their  Apoftacy  and  Rebellion. 

nour.  This  was  the  very  End  he  had  nextly  in  View.  Were  it  not 
for  this  End,  a  Mediator  had  not  been  needful ;  but  a  guilty  World 
might  have  been  pardoned  by  an  Aft  ofabfolute  fovereign  Grace. — - 
Now  his  taking  fuch  a  glorious  Method  to  fecure  his  Honour,  and  the 
Honour  of  his  Law  and  Government  and  facred  Authority,  had  no 
.  Tendency  to  mifrepreient  them.  He  afted  in  it  juft  like  himfelf. 
His  infinite  Wifdom,  Holinefs,  Juftice  and  Goodnefs,  are  all  at  once 
moft  perfectly  difplayed  in  this  Conduct  of  the  fupreme  Governour 
of  the  World.  Particularly,  his  infinite  Hatred  of  Sin  and  Difpofi- 
tion  to  punifh  it,  appeared  in  the  very  Aft  of  appointing  his  Son  to 
be  a  Sacrifice  for  the  Sins  of  the  World.  For  in  this  Aft,  it  was 
manifeft,that  he  did  choofe,  his  own  dearSon  fliould  himfelf  bear  the 
of  Sin,  ra'her  than  let  it  go  unpunifhed. 


and  diftinguijb  edfrom  all  Counterfeits.  307 

If  God  had  fet  afide  his  Law,  which  was  the  Image  of 
his  Heart,  and  undertaken  and  fhewn  all  thefe  Favours  to 
a  guilty  World,  without  any  Salvo  to  his  Honour,  his  vifi- 
bie  Conduct  would  have  been  dire6Uy  contrary  to  the  inward 
Temper  of  his  Heart  ;  and  by  it,  he  would  have  counter 
acted  his  Nature,  and  mifreprefented  himfelf,  difhonoured 
his  Law,  rendered  his  Authority  weak  and  contemptible, 
and  opened  a  wide  Door  for  the  Encouragement  of  Rebel 
lion,  throughout  all  his  Dominions  ;  and  in  Effect  gotten 
to  himfelf  the  Character  the  Devil  defigned  to  give  of  him 
to  our  firft  Parents,  when  he  faid,  Te  jhall  not  furely  die. 
Gen.  3.4.  i.  e.  "  God  is  not  fo  fevere  againft  Sin,  as  he 
"  pretends  to  be,  and  as  you  think  for,  nor  does  he  hate  it 
cc  fo  much,  nor  will  he  do  as  he  fays  in  the  Cafe."  It  was 
therefore  infinitely  impofTible. 

(7.)  1*0  tbe  End  therefore,  that  a  Way  might  be  opened  for 
him  to  put  his  Defigns  of  Mercy  in  Execution,  confident  with 
bimCelf,  confiftcnt  with  the  Honour  cf  his  Holinefs  6*  Juftice, 
Law  and  Government  and  facred  Authority,  fomething  muft 
be  done  by  him  in  a  publick  Manner,  as  it  were  in  the  Sight  of 
all  Worlds,  whereby  his  infinite  Hatred  of  Sin  and  unchangea 
ble  Resolution  to  puni/h  it,  might  be  as  effectually  manifefted 
as  if  he  had  damned  the  whole  World.  MERELY  his  faying^ 
that  he  infinitely  hates  Sin,  and  looks  upon  it  worthy  of  an 
infinite  Puniihmcnt, would  not  have  manifefted  the  inward 
Temper  of  his  Heart  in  fuch  a  Meridian  Brightnefs,  as  if 
he  had  damned  the  whole  World  in  very  Deed.  But  rather, 
his  faying  one  Thing,  and  doing  another  directly  contrary, 
would  have  been  agoing  Counter  to  himfelf •,  efpecially, 
confidering  him  as  ading  in  the  Capacity  of  a  Govtrnour,  to 
whom  by  Office  it  belongs  to  put  the  Law  in  Execution 
and  caufe  Juftice  to  take  Place.  For  him,  firft  to  make  a 
Law  threatning  eternal  Death  to  the  leaft  Sin,  makes  him 
appear  infinitely  juft  and  holy  •,  but  then  to  have  no  Re 
gard  to  that  Law  in  his  Conduct,  but  go  right  contrary  to 
it,  without  any  Salvo  to  his  Honour,  is  quite  inconfiftent ; 
and  directly  tends  to  bring  Himfelf,his  Law  and  Authority, 
into  the  greateft  Contempt.  Something,  I  fay,  therefore 
muft  be  DONE,to  make  his  Hatred  of  the  Sin  of  Mankind 
andDifpofition  to  punifh  it,  as  manifeft  as  if  he  had  damned 

X  2  the 


308         True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

the  whole  World ;  to  the  End,  the  Honour  of  hisHolinefs 
and  Juftice,  of  his  Law  and  Government  and  facred  Au 
thority,  might  be  effectually  fecured.  To  act  contrary  to 
his  own  Nature,  was  impofiible ;  to  have  no  Regard  to 
the  Honour  of  his  Law  and  Government,was  unreafonable  ; 
a  guilty  World  had  better  all  have  been  damned. 

Thus  from  the  Perfections  of  God,  and  from  the  Na 
ture  of  the  Thing,  we  fee  the  Neceflity  there  was,  that  Sa- 
tisfa&ion  mould  be  made  for  Sin,  in  order  to  open  an  ho 
nourable  Way  in  which  divineMercy  might  come  out  after 
a  rebellious,  guilty,  Hell-deferving  World. 

To  conclude  this  Head,  The  Neceflity  of  Satisfaction 
For  Sin  feems  alfo  to  be  held  forth  in  the  Scriptures,  and  to 

be  implied  in  God's  Conduct  in  this  Affair. In  the 

Old  Teftament,  the  Neceffity  of  an  Atonement  for  Sin 
was  taught  in  Types  and  Figures.  The  Man  that  finned 
was  to  bring  his  Offering  before  theLord,and  layhisHands 
upon  it,  and  confefs  his  Sin  over  it  •,  and  fo,  as  it  were, 
transfer  his  Sin  and  Guilt  to  it  •,  then  was  it  to  be  (lain 
( for  Death  is  the  Wages  of  Sin  )  and  burnt  upon  the  Altar, 
(for  the  Sinner  deferves  to  be  confumed  in  theFire  of  God's 
Wrath )  and  the  Blood  thereof  was  to  be  fprinkled  round 
about  -,  (for  without  /bedding  of  Blood  there  is  no  Remiffion) 
nor  was  there  any  other  Way  of  obtainingPardon  prefcrib- 
ed,  but  this,  which  naturally  taught  the  Neceffity  of  Satis- 
fadion  for  Sin,  and  led  the  pious  Jews  to  fome  general  No- 
tion  of  the  great  Atonement  which  God  would  provide, 
and  to  a  cordial  Reliance  thereon  for  Acceptance  in  the 

Sight  of  God.  Lev.  4.  &  16.  Heb.  9. But  in  the  New 

Teftament,  the  Nature  and  Neceffity  of  Satisfaction  forSin, 
and  the  Impoffibility  of  finding  Acceptance  withGod,unlefs 
thro'  the  Atonement  of  Chrift,  is  taught  in  Language  very 
plain  and  exprefs :  particularly  in  the  third  Chapter  of  the 
Epiftle  to  the  Romans.  St.  Paul  having  proved  both  Jews 
and  Greeks  to  be  under  Sin,  and  all  the  World  to  be  guilty 
before  God,  and  that  every  Mouth  muft  be  flopped,  in  tliefirft 
-zndfecond  Chapters  and  in  the  Beginning  of  the  third,  does, 
in  the  next  Place,  enter  upon,  and  begin  to  explain, the  Way 
of  Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  :  "  We  can- 
<c  90t,"  fays  he,  "  be  juftified  by  the  Deeds  .of  the  Law; 

( 


and diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  309 

cc  ( Chap.  3.  20.)  But  it  muft  be  freely  by  Grace  thro*  the 
"  Redemption  that  is  inJefusChrift.  (^.24.) — But  if  we  are 
"  not  juftified  by  the  Deeds  of  the  Law,  by  our  ownObe- 
"  dienee,how  will  God  our  Judge  appear  to  be  righteous  ? 
"  If  theLaw  condemns  us  and  yet  he  juftifies  us,  i.  e.  if  he 
"  thus  proceeds  contrary  to  Law,  to  clear  and  approve, 
"  when  that  condemns ;  how  will  he  appear  to  be  a  juft 
"  and  upright  Governour  and  Judge,  who  loving  Righte- 
"  oufnefs  and  hating  Iniquity,  is  difpofed  always  to  render 
"  to  every  one  his  Due  ?  —  Why, —  there  is  a  Way  con- 
"  trived,  wherein  the  Righteoufnefs  of  God  is  manifefted 
"  in  our  Juftification  without  the  Law's  being  obeyed  by 
**  us,  a  Way  unto  which  the  Types  of  the  Law  and  Pre- 
C£  di&ions  of  the  Prophets  did  all  bear  Witnefs,  a  Way  in 
"  which  the  Righteoufnefs  of  God  is  manifefted  in  and  by 
"  Chrift:  (f.  21,  22.)  —But  how  ?  —  Why,  God  hath 
xe  fet  him  forth  to  be  a  Propitiation,  to  declare  his  Righteouf- 
"  nefs  for  the  Remiffwn  of  Sins  that  are  patt,  thro"  the  For- 
*'  bearanceofGod  •,  to  declare,  I  fay,  at  this  Time  his  Righ- 
"  teoufnefs  :  THAT  HE  MIGHT  BE  JUS?,  and  the 
"  JuRifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jefus*  The  Apoftle 
feems  evidently  to  fuppofe,  that  God  could  net  have  been 
juft,  had  he  not  thus  declared  his  Righteoufnefs  •,  and  that 
he  a6lually  took  this  Method  to  declare  and  manifefl  his 
Righteoufnefs,  to  the  End  he  might  be  juft,  might  act  agreea 
ble  to  his  Nature,  the  original  Standard  of  Juftice,  and  to 
his  Law,  which  is  the  Tranfcript  of  his  Nature,  and  the 
eftablifhed  Rule  of  Righteoufnefs,  between  him  our  Go 
vernour,  and  us  his  Subjects.  He  fet  forth  his  Son  to  be 
a  Propitiation,  for  the  Remiffwn  of  Sin,  to  declare  his  Righte 
oufnefs,  that  be  might  be  juft,  and  the  Juftifier  &c. 

BESIDES,  The  NecefTity  of  Satisfa&ion  for  Sin,  and  that 
even  by  the  Death  of  Chrift,  feems  to  be  implied  in  our 
Saviour's  Prayer  in  the  Garden,  If  it  be  -poffiblc,  let  this  Cup 
pafs  from  me  :  never thelefs,  not  as  I  will,  but  as  thou  wilt, 
Mat.  26.  39.  And  again,  ^.  42.  O  my  Father,  if  this  Cup 
may  not  pafs  away  from  me,  except  I  drink  it,  thy  Will  be  done. 
As  if  Chrift  had  faid,  "  If  it  be  poffible  thy  Defigns  of 
"  Mercy  might  be  put  into  Execution,  and  poor  Sinners 
"  faved,  confiftent  with  thine  Honour,  without  my  drink  - 

X  3  «  m* 


3  1  o       7r#£  Religion  delineated       D  i  s  .  II. 


cc  ing  this  Cup,  O  that  it  might  be  :  but  if  it  is  not  pofli- 
"  bie  it  fhould  be  fo,  I  confent."  Satisfaction  for  Sin  be 
ing  neceflary,  and  there  being  no  eafier  Way  in  which  Sa 
tisfaction  for  Sin  might  be  made,  and  a  Door  opened  for 
Mercy  to  come  to  a  guilty  World  confiftent  with  the  divine 
Honour,  feems  to  have  been  the  very  Ground,  of  the  Fa 
ther's  willing  him,  and  of  (Thrift's  confenting,  to  drink  that 
Cup.  And  indeed,  is  it  poflible  to  conceive,  why  Chrift' 
fhould  be  willing  to  fuffer  what  he  did,  or  why  his  Father 
fhould  defire  it,  were  it  not  an  Expedient  abfolutely  ne- 
ceffary,  and  nothing  elfe  would  do,  fo  that,  it  muft  be,  or 
not  one  of  the  Race  of  Adam  be  ever  faved,  confident  with 
the  divine  Honour  ?  If  it  was  not  fo  abfolutely  neceflary, 
if  there  was  fome  cheaper  and  eafier  Way  that  would  have 
done,  why  did  the  Father  will  this  ?  or  how  had  Chrift  a 
fufEcient  Call  to  undertake  it  ?  or  indeed  what  Need  was 
there  for  him  to  undertake  ?  or  what  Good  would  it  do  ? 
If  Sin  was  not  in  very  Deed,,  fo  bad  a  Thing,  that  it  could 
not  be  pardoned  without  fuch  a  Satisfaction,  why  was  fuch 
a  Satisfaction  infilled  upon  ?  V/hy  a  greater  Satisfaction 
than  was  needful  ?  Could  a  holy  and  v/ife  God  fet  fo  light 
by  the  Blood  of  his  dear  Son,  as  to  defire  it  to  be  fhed  with 
out  the  moft  urgent  Necefiity  ?  Or  why  fhould  the  Gover- 
nour  of  the  World  make  more  Adoe  than  needs,  and  then 
magnify  his  Love  in  giving  his  Son,  when  Mankind  might 
have  been  faved  without  it  ?  Did  this  become  the  great 
Governour  of  the  World  ?  Or  would  God  have  us  look 
upon  his  Conduct  in  fuch  a  Light  ?  Surely  no.  —  Verily 
therefore,  fuch  was  the  Cafe  of  a  rebellious  guilty  World, 
that  God  looked  upon  them  too  bad  to  be  releafed,  con 
fiftent  with  the  divine  Honour,  from  the  threatned  De- 
ftruction,  unlefs  fuch  a  Mediator  fhould  interpofe,and  fuch 
a  Satisfaction  fcr  Sin  be  made  -,  and  therefore  Chrift  ac- 
quiefced  in  his  Will,  as  bein^  wife,  holy,  juft  and  good.  — 
And  this  being  fuppofed,  the  Love  of  God  in  giving  his 
.Son  appears  even  fjch  as  it  is  reprcfented  to  be  •,  unparal- 
IH.'d,  unfpcakable,  inconceivable  :  fo  alfo  does  the  Love  of 
Chrill  in  undertaking.:  —  And  thus  from  th«  Perfections  of 
God,  and  from  the  Scriptures,  and  from  God's  Conduct 
in  this  Aff.ilr,  it  appears  that  a  full  Satisfa&ion  for  Sin  was 

neceflary 


and  dijlmguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  311 

necefTary,  in  order  to  it's  being  pardoned,  or  any  Favour 
fhewn  to  a  guilty  World,  confiftent  with  the  divine  HO- 
nour. 

And  if  we,  in  very  Deed,  did  ftand  in  fuch  Need,  fuch 
an  abfolute  perilhing  Need  of  a  Mediator,  as  this  comes  to  ; 
if  God  looked  upon  Things  in  fuch  a  Light  ;  then  muft 
we  fee  this  our  Need  of  a  Mediator,  and  look  upon  Things 
in  this  Light  too,  and  have  a  Senfe  of  this  great  Truth 
upon  our  Hearts  :  for  otherwife  we  neither  truly  under- 
ftand  what  a  State  we  are  in,  nor  what  Need  we  have  of  a 
Mediator.  And  if  we  do  not  truly  underftand  what  a 
State  we  are  in,  nor  our  Need  of  the  Mediator  God  has 
provided,  how  can  we  be  in  a  Difpofition  to  receive  him 
as  he  is  offered  in  the  Gofpel,  and  truly  &  underftandingly 
to  rely  upon  him,  his  Death  and  Sufferings,  his  Worth 
and  Merits,  his  Mediation  and  Jntercefiion,  as  the  Gofpel , 
invites  us  to  do  ? 

To  fee  our  Need  of  Chrift  to  be  our  Atonement,  to  fee 
our  Need  of  his  propitiatory  Sacrifice  to  open  the  Way  for 
the  Governour  of  the  World  to  be  reconciled  to  us  conlift- 
ently  with  his  Honour,is  a  very  different  Thing  from  what 
many  imagine.  Some  fancy,  they  want  Chrift  to  purchale 
an  Abatement  of  the  Law,  and  fatisfy  for  their  Imperfecti 
ons  ;  and  then  they  hope  to  procure  the  divine  Farour  by 
their  owrr  Goodnefs.  —  Some  truft  in  Chrift  and  the  free 
Grace  of  God  thro'  him,as  they  think,  and  yet  at  the  fame 
Time  look  upon  God  as  obliged  in  Juftice  to  fave  them,  if 
they  do  as  well  as  they  can.  Some,  who  lay  not  fo  high 
a  Claim  to  the  divine  Favour,  yet  by  their  Tears  &  Prayers 
hope  to  move  the  Companions  of  God,  and  by  their  fair 
Promifes  to  engage  his  Favour,  and  would  fecretly  think 
it  hard,  if  after  all,  God  ihould  caft  them  off;  and  yet  they 
pretend  to  fee  their  Need  of  Chrift  and  to  truft  in  him. 
But  thefe  are  all  evidently  fo  far  from  feeing  their  Need  of 
Chrift,  that  in  the  Temper  and  Exercifes  of  their  Hearts, 
they  implicitly  and  practically  deny  any  Need  of  him  at  all  5 
to  their  own  Senfe,  they  are  good  enough  to  be  accepted  in 
the  Sight  of  God  upon  their  own  Account.  Rom.  10.  3. — 
Others,  who  have  had  great  Awakenings  and  Convictions, 

X  4  aac! 


312  •      True  Religion  delineated       pis.  II. 

fee  much  of  their  own  Badnefs,  and  do  in  a  Sort  renounce 
their  own  Rignteoufnefs,  they  look  to  be  faved  by  free 
Grace  -,  but  in  all  the  Exercifes  of  theirHearts,  fee  noNeed 
of  a  Mediator,  and  have  nothing  to  do  with  him  :  They 
fee  no  Reafon  why  they  may  not  be  pitied  and  faved  by 
free  Grace,  without  any  Refpect  to  the  Atonement  of  Chrift. 
They  don't  underftand  that  they  are  fo  bad,  that  it  would 
be  a  Reproach  to  the  Governour  of  the  World,  to  fhew 
them  Mercy  otherwife  than  thro?  a  Mediator.  —  Others 
again,  who  talk  much  of  Chrift,  and  of  Faith,  and  of  living 
by  Faith,  and  cry  down  Works,  and  think  thernfelves  moft 
evangelical  •,  yet  after  all,  only  believe  thatChrift  died  for  them 
in  particular^  and  that  theyjhall  be  faved  :  this  is  their  Faith, 
and  this  their  trufting  in  Chrift  •,  whereby  it  is  evident,they 
never  truly  faw  theirNeed  of  Chrift, nor  have  they  any  Re 
fpect  to  him  under  the  proper  Character  of  a  Mediator. 
But  then  do  Perfons  fee  their  Need  of  Chrift,  when 
from  a  Senfe  of  what  they  be,  and  of  what  God  is,  they  are 
convinced,  that  they  are  too  bad  to  be  pardoned  and  ac 
cepted,  fo  bad  that  any  Thing  fhort  of  Damnation  is  too 
good  for  them  ;  fo  that  it  would  be  inconfiftent  with  the 
divine  Perfections  and  to  the  Reproach  of  the  great  Gover 
nour  of  the  World,  to  fhew  them  anyFavour,  without fome 
fufficient  Salvo  to  his  Honour.  Now  they  lee  their  Need 
of  Chrift  and  are  prepared  to  exercife  Faith  in  his  Blood  (to 
pfe  the  Apoftle's  Phrafe,  Rom.  3.  23.  )  and  not  'till  now. 
For  Men  can't  be  faid  to  fee  their  Need  of  Chrift  and  his 
Atonement,  unlefs  they  fee  that  in  their  Cafe,  which  ren 
ders  his  Atonement  needful -,  but  it's:  being  inconfiftent  with 
the  divine  Perfections,  and  to  the  Dilhonour  of  God,  to 
pardon  Sin  without  Satisfaction,  was  that  which  made  an 
Atpnement  medful :  Therefore  Sinners  muft  fee  -their  Cafe 
ro  be  fuch  "as  that  it  would  be  incohfifterit:  with  the  divine 
Perfections  and  to  theDi [honour  of  God,to  grant  themPar- 
don  without  Satisfaction  for  their  Sins  y  in  order  to  fee  their 
Need  of  Chrift  and  of  his  Atonement.  When  they  fee  their 
Cafe  to  be  fuch,  then  they  begin  to  fee  Things  as  they  are, 
to  -view  them  in  the  fame  Light  that  God  does,  to  perceive 
j-ipon  what  Grounds  and  for  what  Reafons  a  Mediator  was 

fieceflary, 


and  diftmgmjjhed from  all  Counterfeits.   3 13 

neceflary,  and  why  and  upon  what   Accounts  they  want 
one  ;  and  hereby  a  Foundation  is  laid  for  them  underftand- 
ingly  to  have  a  fiducial  Recourfe  to  that  Mediator  which 
God  has  provided,  that  thro'  him,  confidently  With  the  di 
vine  Perfections,  they  may  be  received  to  Favour.     And  fo 
from  Chrift  the  Mediator,  and  from  the  free  Grace  of  God 
thro*  him,  do  they  take  all  their  Encouragement  to  come 
to  God  in  hopes  of  Pardon  &  Acceptance  and  eternal  Life. 
And  thus  they  look  to  bejuftified  by  free  Grace  thro'  the  Re 
demption  that  is  in  Jefus  Chrift,   which  is  what  the  Gofpel 
intends  and  propofes.  Rom.  3.  24.    And  from  an  increafing 
Senfe  of  their  Unworthinefs  and  ill  Deferts,  they,  thro'  the 
Courfe  of  their  Lives,  more  and  more,   grow  up  into   a 
Difpofition  to  live  the  Life  they  live  in  the  Flejh  by  Faith  in 
the  Son  of  God,  always  having  Refpect  to  him  as  their  great 
.high  Prieft,  in  all  their  Approaches  to  the  Mercy-Seat^  hav 
ing  Accefs  to  God  by  hhn^  who  has  ftiled  himfelf  the  Door 
of  the  Sheep,   and  the  Way  to  the  Father,  which  is  the  very 
Thing  theGofpel  propofes,  &  invites  &  encourages  us  unto. 
Heb.9«  12.  By  his  ownBloodhe  entred  into  the  holy  Place  ^having 
obtained  eternal  Redemption  for  us.    Ver.  24.  Into  Heaven  it 
felfr  to  appear  in  the  Prefence  of  God  for  us.  Heb.  10. 19 — 
2  2 .  Having  therefore^  Brethren^  boldnefs  to  enter  into  the  ho- 
lieft  by  the  Blood  of  Jefus,  by  a  new  and  living  Way  which  he, 
bath  confe  crated  for  us  ; — and  having  an  high  Prieft  over  the 
Houfe  of  God  :  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  Heart,  in  full 
Affurance  of  Faith.  Rom.  3.  25.  For  him  hath  Godfetfortk 
to  bs  a  Propitiation  for  Sin^  to  declare  his  Right  eoufnefs^  that 
be  might  bejufl,  &c. 

And  a  clear  realifmg  Senfe  of  thefe  Things  on  ourHearts, 
will  lay  a  Foundation  for  us  to  fee,  how  the  Gofpel- Way 
of  Salvation  is  calculated  to  bring  much  Glory  to  God, 
and  abafe  Sinners  in  the  very  Dull,  which  is  that  wherein 
the  Glory  of  the  Gofpel  very  much  confifts.  Rom.  3.  27. 
Eph.  i.  3 — 12.  And  we  {hall  learn  to  rejoyce  to  fee  God 
alone  exalted,  and  freely  to  take  our  proper  Place,  and  lie 
down  in  the  Duft,  abafed  before  the  Lord  for  ever.  And 
indeed  it  is  perfectly  fit  in  this  Cafe>  that  the  Rebel-Wretch 
fliould  come  down,  and  be  fo  far  from  finding  Fault  with 

the 


314        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  II. 

the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  and  with  his  holy,  jufl 
and  good  Law,  that  he  fhould  rejoyce  that  God  has  taken 
fuch  an  effectual  Method  to  fecure  his  own  Honour,and  the 
Honour  of  his  Law.  We  ought  to  be  glad  with  all  our 
Hearts,  that  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World  did  put 
on  State,  and  ftand  for  his  Honour,  and  the  Honour  of  his 
Law,  without  the  leaft  Abatement ,  and  did  infift  upon 
it,  that  Sin  Ihould  be  puniilied,  the  Sinner  humbled,  and 
Grace  glorified  :  thefe  were  Things  of  the  greateft  Impor 
tance.  And  we  ought  to  choofe  to  be  faved  in  fuch  a  Way., 
to  have  God  honoured,  and  our  felves  humbled.  And  it 
is  evident,  this  muft  be  the  Temper  of  every  one  that 
comes  into  a  genuine  Compliance  with  the  Gofpel.  Thus 
much  concerning  the  Neceffity  of  Satisfaction  for  Sin. 

But  here  now  fome  may  be  ready  to  inquire, 
Was  it  not  as  neceJJ'ary,  that  the  Precepts  of  the  Lawjhould 
be  obeyed^  as  that  the  Penalty  ftculd  be  fuffered  •,  to  make  Way 
for  the  Sinner  not  only  to  be  -pardoned,    but  alfo  to  be  received 
to  a  State  of  Favour  and  intitled  to  eternal  Life  ? 

To  which  I  anfwer, 

i .  It  is  true,  we  need  not  only  a  Pardon  from  theHands 
of  God  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World,  in  whofe 
Sight,  and  againil  whom  we  have  finned  ;  we  need,  I  fay, 
not  only  to  be  pardoned,  delivered  from  Condemnation, 
freed  from  the  Curfe  of  the  Law,  faved  from  Hell  ;  but 
we  want  fomething  further  :  We  want  to  be  renewed  to 
God's  Image,  taken  into  his  Family,  put  among  his  Chil 
dren,  and  made  Partakers  of  his  everlafting  Favour  and 
Love.  We  need  not  only  to  be  delivered  from  all  thofe^/'/r, 
which  are  come  upon  us  and  which  we  are  expofed  unto, 
thro'  our  Apoftacy  from  God  ;  but  we  want  to  be  reftored 
to  the  Enjoyment  of  all  that  Good,  which  we  fhould  have 
had,  had  we  kept  the  Covenant  of  our  God. 

2.  It  is  true  alfo,  that  Mankind,according  to  theTenour 
of  the  firft  Covenant,  were  not  to  have  been  confirmed  in 
a  State  of  Holinefs  and  Happinefs,  were  not  to  have  had 
eternal  Life,  merely  upon  the  Condition  of  being  innocent, 
(for  fuch  was  Adam  by  Creation)  but  perfect  Obedience  tjo 
every  Precept  of  the  divine  Law  v/as  required.  Rom.  10.5. 
Gal.  3.  10.  The  Performance  of  fuch  an  Obedience,  was 

that 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  315 

that  Right  eoufnefs,  which  was  by  Covenant  to  intitle  him 
to  Life. 

3.  Since  the  Fall,  all  Mankind,are  deftitute  of  thatRigh- 
ttoufnefs,  nor  can  they  attain  unto  it.  Rom.  3.  9 20. 

4.  But  our  natural  Obligations,  to  love  God  with  all  our 
Hearts  and  obey  him  in  every  Thing,  ftill  remain.     For 
they  are  in  their  own  Nature  Unalterable.     They  will  be 
for  ever  the  fame,  fo  long  as  God  remains  what  he  is  and 
we  are  his  Creatures.     There  was  the  fame  Reafon,  there 
fore,  after  the  Fall,  why  we  fhould  love  and  obey  God,  as 
ever  there  was.     There  was  the  fame  Reafon,  therefore, 
that  the  Condition  of  the  firft  Covenant,  fhould  be  fulfilled, 
as  ever  there  was.     It  was  reafonable,  originally,  or  God 
would  never  have  infifted  upon  it.     And  therefore  it  is 
reafonable  now  fmce  our  Apoftacy  •,  and  God  has  the  fame 
Grounds  to  infift  upon  it  as  ever  :  but  we  cannot  perform 
it  our  felves :  it  was  necefTary,  therefore,  that  it  fhould  be 
performed  by  Chrift  our  Surety. 

But  perhaps  fome  may  ftill  fay, 

When  Chrift  hadfullyfatisfy'dfor  all  our  Sins,  and  fo  opened 
a  Way  for  Believers  to  be  confidered  as  entirely  free  from  any 
Guilt ;  why  might  not  the  Governour  of  the  World^  now^  of 
his  fovereign  Goodnefs  and  Bounty r,  have  beflowed  eternal  Life, 
without  any  more  to  do  ?  What  Need  was  there  for  Chrift  to 
fulfil  all  Righteoufnefs  in  our  Room  ? 
To  which  I  anfwer, 

When  Adam  was  newly  created,  he  was  innocent,  free 
from  any  Guilt ;  and  why  might  not  the  fupreme  Gover- 
nour  of  the  World,  now,  without  any  more  to  do,  have 
beflowed  upon  him  eternal  Life  and  BleiTcdnefs,  of  his 
mere  fovereign  Goodnefs  ?  What  need  was  there,  that  his 
everl ailing  Welfare  fhould  be  entirely  fufpended  upon  the 
uncertain  Condition  of  his  good  Behaviour  ?  Had  not 
God  juft  feen  how  it  turned  out  with  the  Angels  that  fin 
ned  ?  Did  he  not  know  that  Adam  was  liable  to  Sin  and 
undoe  himfelf  too,  ?  And  why  would  he  run  any  venture 
a  fecond  Time  ?  Efpecially,  fince  the  Happinefs,  not  only 
of  Adam^  but  of  all  his  Race,  a  whole  World  of  Beings,now 
lay  at  Stake  ?  If  he  thinks,  that  if  but  one  Man  fhould 
gain  the  whole  World,  and  lofe  his  own  Soul,  his  Lofs 

would 


316       True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II.  1 

would  be  infinitely  great ;  what  muft  the  everlafting  Wel 
fare  of  a  whole  Race  be  worth  in  his  Account  ?  And  would 
infinite  Wifdom  and  infinite  Goodnefs  venture  and  hazard 
all  this  needlejly  ?  Yea,  would  fuch  a  Being  have  done  fo, 
had  there  not  been  Reafons,  of  infinite  Weight,  to  move 
him  to  it  ?  fomething  of  greater  Importance,  than  the  eter 
nal  Welfare  of  all  Mankind  ?— —  No  doubt,  there  was 
fomething,  and  fomething  of  very  great  Importance,  that 
influenced  the  infinitely  wife  and  good  Governour  of  the 
World  to  fuch  a  Conduct.  Something,  fo  very  great,  as  to 
render  his  Conduct  in  that  Affair,  perfectly  holy  and  wife, 

perfectly  beautiful,  excellent  and  glorious. It  does  not 

look  like  a  mere  arbitrary  Conftitution.  It  was  doubtlefs 
ordered  fo,  becaufe  God  faw,  it  was  perfectly  fit  and  right 

and  bed. But  why  was  it  fit  and  right  and  beft  ? • 

Whatever  the  Reafon  was,  doubtlefs  for  the  fame  Reafon, 
it  was  fit  and  right  and  beft,  that  the  fecond  Adam  fliould 
perform  the  fame  Condition,  fulfil  all  Righteoufnefs,  to 
the  End  that  by  his  Obedience  we  might  be  made  righte 
ous,  and  fo  be  intitled  to  Life  in  this  Way. 

It  is  certain,  that  eternal  Life  and  Blelfednefs  were  not  to 
have  been  given  abfolutely,  i.  e.  without  any  Condition  at 
all,  under  the  firft  Covenant.  Eternal  Life  was  not  to 
have  been  granted  merely  under  the  Notion  of  a  Gift,  from 
zfovereign  Benefactor  ;  but  alfo  under  the  Notion  of  a  Re 
ward,  from  the  Hands  of  the  moral  Governour  of  the  World. 
PerfedObedience  was  theCondition.  Do  and  live.'R.om.  10.5. 
Difobey  and  die.  Gal.  3.  10.  This  was  eftabliihed  by  the 
Law  of  the  God  of  Heaven. 

Now,  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World  did  this  for 
fome  End,  or  for  no  End.  Not  for  no  End,  for  that  would 
reflect  upon  his  Wifdom.  Was  it  for  his  own  Good,  or  his 
Creature's  Good  ?  Not  for  his  own  Good  •,  for  he  is  Self- 
fufficient  and  Independent.  Not  for  his  Creature's  Good  ; 
for  it  had  been  better  for  them,  their  Intereft  fimply  con- 
fidered,  to  have  had  eternal  Life  and  Bleffednefs  given  ab- 
folutely  and  unconditionally  -9  for  then,  they  would  have 
been  at  no  Uncertainties,  not  liable  to  fall  into  Sin  or  Mife* 

ry,  but  fecure  and  fafe  forever. It  remains,  therefore. 

that,  as  moral  Governour* of  the  World,  he  ha$  an  Eye  to 

tin 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  3 17 

the  moral  Fitnefs  of  Things,  and  fo  ordained,  becauie  in 
it  felf,  in  it's  own  Nature,  it  was  fit  and  right. 

But  why  was  it  fit  and  right  ?  /'.  e.  What  Grounds  and 
Reafons  were  there  in  the  Nature  of  the  Cafe,  why  the 
great  Governour  of  the  World  fhould  fufpend  the  everlaft- 
ing  Welfare  of  his  Creature,  Man,  upon  Condition  of  his 

being  in  moft  perfect  Subjection  to  himfelf  ? i.e.  Why 

Ihould  he  fo  much  Hand  upon  his  own  Honour,  as  to  infift 
upon  thisHomage,at  the  hazard  of  hisCreature's  everlafling 
Welfare. —  i.  e.  Why  did  he  look  upon  his  own  Honour  as 

a  Matter  of  fo  great  Importance  ? 1  anfwer,  that,  from 

the  Rectitude  of  the  divine  Nature,  he  is  perfectly  impar 
tial  in  all  his  Conduct. It  was  not,  therefore,  from  any 

Thing  like  Pride,  or  a  felfifh  Spirit,  that  he  flood  thus  upon 
his  Honour  ;  the  Homage  of  a  Worm  of  the  Duft  could 
do  him  no  Good  :  nor  for  want  of  Goodnefs,  that  he  fet  fo 
light  by  his  Creature's  Happinefs  :  but  it  was  fit  he  fhould 
do  as  he  did  •,  the  Rectitude  of  his  Nature,  as  it  were,  ob 
liged  him  to  it.  For  it  becomes  the  Governour  of  the 
World,  and  it  belongs  to  his  Office  as  fuch,  to  fee  to  it, 
that  every  one  has  his  proper  Due  ;  and  therefore  it  con 
cerns  him,  firft  and  above  all  Things,  to  afiert  and  main 
tain  the  Rights  of  the  GOD-HEAD  :  and  this  Honour 
was  due  to  God. 

He  was  by  Nature  God,  and  Adam  was  by  Nature  Man  ; 
he  was  the  Creator,  and  Adam  was  his  Creature  ;  he  was 
moral  Governour  of  the  World,  and  Adam  was  his  Sub 
ject  :  He  was  by  Right  Law-giver,  and  Adam  was  a  free 
Agent  capable  of  and  obliged  unto  perfect  Obedience  : 
He  was  Judge,to  whom  it  belonged  to  diflribute  Rewards 
and  Punifhments,  and  Adam  was  an  accountable  Creature, 
Now  he  only  confidered  himfelf  as  being  what  he  was,  and 
his  Creature  Man  as  being  what  he  was  •,  and  he  was  affect 
ed  and  a<5ted  accordingly.  He  confidered  what  Honour 
was  due  to  him  from  Man  j  what  Obligations  Man  was 
under  to  give  him  his  Due  j  that  he  was  capable  of  doing 
it  voluntarily  ;  that  it  was  fit  he  fhould  ;  that  it  became 
the  Governour  of  the  WTorld  to  infift  upon  it  -y  that  if  he 
did  not  do  it  with  all  his  Heart,  he  could  not  be  ccnfidered 
as  a  Subject  fit  for  the  divine  Favour,  but  fit  only  for  di 
vine 


31 8        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

vine  Wrath.  He  thus  viewed  Things  as  they  were,  and 
acled  accordingly.  What  he  did  therefore  was  perfectly 
right  and  fit.  To  have  had  no  Regard  to  his  Honour, but 
only  to  have  confulted  his  Creature's  Welfare,  would  have 
been  a  Conduct  like  theirs  in  Rom.  1.21,25.  ? "bey  glorified 
him  not  as  God. — They  ivcrfoipped  and  ferved  the  Creature 
more  than  the  Creator.  * 

Now,  fmce  the  fecond  Adam  becomes  Surety  and  (lands 
refponfible  to  the  Governour  of  the  World,  it  was  fit  he 
fhould  not  only  fufFer  the  Penalty  of  the  broken  Law,  but 
obey  it's  Precepts  too,  in  order  to  open  a  Door  for  us  not 
only  to  be  pardoned,  but  alfo  received  to  Favour  and  intit- 
led  to  eternal  Life.  There  was  the  fame  Reafon,  the  fecond 
Adam  fhould  do  it,  as  that  the  Jirft  fhould.  The  Honour  of 
God  did  as  much  require  it.  It  was  as  needful  in  order  to 
our  being  confidered  as  Subjects  fit  for  the  divine  Favour 
and  eternal  Life.  It  became  the  Governour  of  the  World 
as  much  to  ftand  for  his  Honour,  with  one,  as  with  the 
other  •,  and  he  had  as  good  Reafon  to  fufpend  the  everlaft- 
ing  Welfare  of  Mankind  upon  this  Condition,  now,as  ever. 
And  to  have  fliewn  no  Concern  for  the  divine  Honour, 
altho'God  had  been  openly  affronted  and  defpifed  byMan's 
Apoftacy,  but  only  to  have  regarded  and  confulted  the 

Wei- 

*  HowGod's  putting  Adam  into  a  State  of  Trial,  was  confident  with  his 
aiming  merely  at  his  Happinefs  as  his  laft  Endy  I  cannot  underftand. 
Sure  I  am,  it  muft  have  been  better,  unfpeakably  better  for  Adam^us 
Intereft  only  confidered,  to  have  been  immediately  c<mfrmed\n  aStatc 
of  perfeclHolinefs  &  Happinefs,without  running  fuch  an  awfulVenture 
of  eternal  Ruin  and  Deftrudtion.  Nor  is  there  anyMan^on  Earth,  that 
would  choofe,  merely  out  of  Regard  to  his  own  Welfare,  to  be  put 
into  a  State  of  Trial,  rather  than  into  a  State  of  confirmed  Holinefs 
and  Happinefs,  fuch  as  the  Saints  in  Heaven  are  now  in.  And  there 
fore  I  can't  but  think,  that  God  had  a  greater  Regard  to  fomething 
clfe,  than  to  Adams  Happinefs.  In  this  Inftance,  it  feems  plain 
from  Fafi,  that  God  does  not  make  his  Creature's  Happinefs,  his  laft 
End.  It  is  in  vain  to  plead,  "  That  Adam  could  not  be  a  moral  Agent, 
"  unlefs  he  was  a  free  Agent,  nor  zfree  Agent  without  being  liable 
"  to  Sin." — For  the  Saints  in  Heaven  are  moral  Agents  &  free  Agents 
too,andyet  are  not  liable  to  Sin. —  And  if  God's  putting  hisCreatures 
into  a  State  of  Trial,  is  not  confiftent  with  his  aiming  merely  at  their 
Happinefs  as  his  laft  End,then  the  wholeTenor  of  God's  moralGovern- 
ment  is  not  confiftent  therewith  :  for,  from  nrft  to  laft,  it  has  been  his 
Way  to  put  his  Creatures  into  a  State  of  Trial ;  even  all  his  Crea 
tures  who  were  capable  of  moral  Government. 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   319 

Welfare  of  the  Rebel  under  righteous  Condemnation,  had 
been  a  Conduct  evidently  unbecoming  the  greatGovernour 
of  the  World. 

But  again,   we  may  view  the  Cafe  in  another  Point  of 

Light. According  to  the  firft  Covenant,  eternal  Life 

andBleflednefs  were  not  to  have  been  granted  merely  under 
the  Notion  of  a  Gf/>,  from  zfovereign  Benefactor  ;  but  alfo 
under  the  Notion  of  a  Reward^  from  God  as  moral  Gover- 
nour  of  the  World  :  and  perfect  Obedience  was  the  Condi 
tion.  Do  and  live. And  while  eternal  Life  and  Blef* 

fednefs  were  thus  promifed,  by  Way  of  Reward  to  Virtue^ 
God's  infinite  Love  thereto  was  hereby  teflified  ;  and  the 

Temper  of  his  Heart  acted  out   and  difplayed. But 

God  infinitely  loves  to  act  like  himfelf. —  On  this  Confi- 
deration,  therefore,  it  was  neceflary,  that  the  fecond  Adam 
fhould  fulfil  all  Righteoufnefs,  in  the  Room  of  a  guilty,un- 
holy  World  ;  to  the  End,  that  the  Governour  of  theWorld 
might  beftow  Grace  and  Glory  and  all  good  Things  upon 
Sinners,  as  a.  Reward  to  Chrift's  Virtue  ;  and  fo  hereby 

teftify  his  infinite  Love  to  Virtue. And  fo  ftill  aft  like 

himfelf. It  was  God's  fovereignPleafure  to  exercife  his 

infiniteGoodnefs  towards  a  ruin'dRace,  and  his  &0/yNature 
prompted  him  to  choofe  this  Way ;  for  he  always  takes  in 
finite  Delight  in  mewing  Regard  and  RefpedttoF/r/tf*,  in 
his  moral  Government  of  the  World.  He  tranflated£;/<?f£ 
and  Elijah,  faved  Noah  from  the  general  Deluge,  delivered 
Lot  out  of  Sodom,  promifed  Abraham  a  Pofterity  numerous 
as  the  Stars  of  Heaven,  and  Pbineas  an  everlafting  Prieft- 
hood,  and  a  Thoufand  Things  more  has  he  done  ;  and  all, 
to  bear  a  publick  Teftimony  of  his  Love  to  Virtue.  This  is 

the  Thing  which  the  King  delights  to  Honour. The  very 

Ground  of  his  Love  to  himfelf,  is  the  Virtue  or  Holinefs  of 
his  Nature.  In  this,  his  divine  Beauty  and  Glory  primarily 
confifts.  Ifai.  6.3.  He  loves, therefore,  to  put  Honour  upon 
the  Image  of  himfelf.  And  in  doing  fo,  he  (till  refledsHo- 
nour  upon  himfelf,  the  original  Fountain  of  moral  Excellen 
cy.  And,  therefore,  according  to  the  firft  Covenant  and 
according  to  the  fecond,  it  was  equally  fit,  that  eternal  Life 
and  BlelTcdnefs  fhould  be  given  as  a  Reward  to  Virtue,  in 
Tcftimony  of  his  Regard  thereto. 

Thus, 


3  2  o        True  Religion  delineated       D  i  s .  II. 

Thus,  from  the  Perfe6Hons  of  God,  and  the  Reafon  and 
Nature  of  Things,  the  Neceffity  of  Chrift's  obeying  the 
preceptive  Part  of  the  Law,  as  well  as  fuffering  the  Pe 
nalty,  in  order  to  our  being  not  only  pardoned,  but  receiv 
ed  to  the  everlafting  Favour  of  God  and  intitled  to  eternal 
Life,  feems  evident. 

But  from  Scripture,  the  Point  may  more  eafily  be  con 
firmed.  For  therein  we  are  taught,  that  he  was  appointed 
by  the  Governour  of  the  World,  not  only  to  make  Reconci 
liation  for  Iniquity, but  alfoto  bring  in  everlafting  Righteouf- 
mfs.  Dan. 9. 24.  And  are  allured,  that  he  is  become  theEnd 
cf  the  Law  for  Righteoufnefs  to  them  that  believe.  Rom  10.4. 
And  that  by  his  Obedience  many  are  made  Righteous.  Rom. 
5.  19.  But  this  Work  would  not  have  been  put  upon  him, 
had  it  been  needlefs  •,  i.  e.  if  God's  Honour  and  our  Salva 
tion,  could,  both,  have  been  fecured  without  it  :  for  then 
it  had  been  in  vain  :  Which  to  fuppofe,  reflects  much  up 
on  the  divine  Wifdom,  and  quite  undermines  and  nullifies 
the  Love  and  Grace  and  Kindnefs  of  God  herein  to  us  :  for 

we  had  been  as  well  without  it. With  much  Evidence, 

therefore,  may  we  conclude,  that  it  was  neceflary,  that  the 
fecond  Adam,  Chrift  our  Surety,  fhould  0^,as  well  as  fuffer 
in  our  Room  ;  in  order  to  open  a  Door  for  our  Juftifkation 
and  eternal  Life. —  And  accordingly  we  may  obferve,  that 
the  Favours  Ihewn  to  a  fmful,  guilty  World  on  Chrift's 
Account,  are  in  Scripture  promifed  under  the  Notion  of  a 
Reward  to  Chrift's  Virtue.  For  upon  making  his  Soul  an 
Offering  for  £»,which  was  the  higheft  Aft  of  Virtue,  it  was 
promifed  that  hefliould  fee  his  Seed,  prolong  hisDays,  have  the 
Pleasure  of  the  Lord  proffering  ^  in  his  Hands  ;  and  that  he 
fhould  fee  the  Travel  of  his  Soul,  zndjuftify  many.  Ifai.  53. 

JO,  II,  12. 

Therefore,  in  order  to  a  genuine  Compliance  with  the 
Gofpel  by  Faith  in  Jefus  Chrift,  we  muft  fee  how  far  we  be 
from  Righteoufnefs  *,  that  all  our  feemingRighteoufnefs  is  as 
filthy  Rags ;  that  we  have  nothing  to  recommend  us  toGod ; 
that  there  is  nothing  in  us  rendring  of  us//  to  be  beloved 
by  him,  or  meet  to  receive  any  Favour  at  his  Hands,  but 
every  Thing  to  the  contrary  *,  to  the  End,  we  may  fee  our 
Need  of  Chrift :  of  Chrift,  to  be  made  of  God  unto  us,  Righ- 

teoufnefs. 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  "321 

tecufnefs,  (i  Cor.i^o.J  and  ourNeceflity  of  being  found  in 
////;/,  having  on  his  Right  eoufnefs.  (  Phil.  3.9.)  For  this  is 
the  Defjgn  of  the  Gofpel,  to  bring  us  to  look  to  be  accepted 
with  God  only  in  his  Beloved  \  (  Eph.  1.6.  i  Pet.  2.  5.  ) 
and  to  btjuftifiap freely  by  hisGrace^  thro"  tbe  Redemption  that 
is  injefus  Chrijt  ,  (Rom.  3.  24.  )  without  the  Deeds  of  the 
Law  -,  (tf.  28.)  our  felves  being  confidered,  as  being  in  our 
feives,  UNGODLT.  (  Chap.  4.  #.  5.  ) 

And  under  a  Senfe,  how  far  we  be  from  Righteoufnefs  ; 
that  we  have,after  all  the  Attainments  of  this  Life,  noRigh- 
teoufnefs  fit  to  be  mentioned  before  God,  nothing  fit  to  re 
commend  us  to  his  Favour,  but  are  flill  in  our  felves  infinitely 
unworthy  of  h.;s  Love,  or  the  leaft  Favour  from  him  ;  I 
fay,  under  a  deep  effectual  Senfe  of  this,we  muft  live  all  our 
Days  ;  to  the  End,  we  may  never  venture  to  come  before 
God,  as  the  Pbarifee  did,emboldened  by  our  ownGoodnefs, 
but  always  as  the  chief  of  Sinners,  defiring  to  be  found  only 
in  Chrifti  not  having  on  our  own  Righteoufnefs^  but  the  Rjgh- 
t eoufnefs  which  is  of  God  by  Faith  •,  and  fo  hereby  be  influ 
enced  to  live  the  Life  we  live  in  the  Flejh,  by  Faith  on  theSon 
of  God ,  asSt.  Paul  always  did,  and  as  the  Gofpel  would  have 
all  others  do  too.  i  T/;«.  1.15.  Phil.  3.  9.  Gal.  2.  20.  and 
3,  n. 

To  conclude.  Thus,  we  fee  the  Grounds  of  the  Nece£ 
fity  there  was,  for  a  Mediator  and  Redeemer,  to  make  Sa  * 
tisfaction  for  Sin,  and  bring  in  everlafling  Righteoufnefs  ; 
and  fo  open  an  honour ableWzy,  forMercy  to  come  out  after 
a  rebellious,  guilty  World  ;  and  a  Way,  in  which  Sinners 
may  with  Safety  return  to  God. 

SECTION     IV. 

Concerning  the  SUFFICIENCY  of  Chrifty  and 
of  his  Satisfaction  and  Merits. 

I  proceed  now  to  confider, 

2.  What  has  been  done  to  make  Satisfaction  for  Sin,  and  to 
anfwer  the  Demands  of  the  preceptive  Part  of  the  Law  j  and 
wherein  the  Sufficiency  of  the  fame  conjifts.  And 

Y  In 


322          True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

In  the  Firft  Place,  what  has  been  done,  has  been  already 
hinted  ;  and  it  may  be  fummed  up  in  a  few  Words.  It 
comprehends  all  that  Chrift  has  done  and  fuffered,  in  his 
Life  and  at  hisDeatb.  For  us  he  was  born  •,  for  us  he  lived  , 
for  us  he  died  :  He  did  all  on  our  Account,  being  thereunto 
appointed  by  his  Father.  But  becaufe  his  Obedience  and 
Sufferings  were  moft  eminent  and  remarkable,  when,  ac 
cording  to  the  Command  he  had  received  of  his  Father, 
he  laid  down  his  Life  for  us  and  offered  himfelf  a  Sacrifice 
for  our  Sins  ;  and  becaufe  with  a  View  to  this,  he  became 
Flejh, and  dwelt  among  us\  therefore,  theScriptures  do  more 
frequently  attribute  ourRedemption  to  what  was  done  then. 
Hence,we  are  faid  to  be  redeemed  by  hisElood.  i  Pet.  1.18,19. 
To  be  juftified  by  his  Blood.  Rom.  5.  9.  And  all  fpiritual 
Bleflings  are  frequently  reprefented  as  theFruits  andEffects 
of  his  Death.  Gal.  3.  13,  14.  The  Sacrifices  of  the  Old 
Teftament  pointed  out  this,  as  the  great  Atonement.  And 
to  this  the  Penmen  of  the  New  Teftament  feem  in  a  fpecial 
Manner  to  have  their  Eyes,  as  the  great  Propitiation  for 
Sin. —  Thus  the  firft  Adam  was  to  have  yielded  a  perfect 
Obedience  to  the  divine  Law  in  every  Thing ;  but  that 
fpecial  Prohibition,  touching  the  Tree  of  Knowledge  of 
Good  and  Evil,  was  in  a  peculiar  Manner  to  try  him,  that 
it  might  be  feen  whether  he  would  be  in  Subjection  toGcd 
in  every  Thing.  So  in  the  Garden  and  upon  the  Crofs,our 
Saviour's  Spirit  of  Obedience  was  tried  and  difcovered,and 
his  Obedience  was  perfected  and  his  Sufferings  compleated : 
and  fo  here,  in  a  more  eminent  Manner,  the  Law  was  ho 
noured  and  Juftice  fatisfied  ;  and  fo  the  Door  of  Mercy 
opened  for  a  finful,  guilty  World.  But 

Secondly.     As  to  the  Sufficiency  of  what  has  been  done,  to 
anfwer  theEnds  propofed  ;  Let  thefe  Things  be  confidered, 

fi.)  That  the  Perfon  undertaking,  as  Mediator  andRe- 
deemer,  was  of  fufficient  Dignity  and  Worth. 

(2.)  That  he  was  fufficiently  authorized  to  act  in  fuch  a 
Capacity. 

(3.)  That  what  he  has  done  is  perfectly  fuited,in  it's  own 
Nature,  to  anfwer  all  the  Ends  propofed. 

(i.)  Jefus  Chrift  the  Mediator  between  Gcd  and  Man,  as 
to  his  Perfon,  was  FI?  for  the  mediatorial  Office  and  Work. 

He 


a?^d  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  323 

He  was  of  fufficient  Dignity  and  Worth  ;  being  by  Nature 
GOD,  equal  with  the  Father^  the  Brightnefs  of  his  Glory,  the 
exprefs  Image  of  his  Per f on.  Phil.  2 .  Hcb.  i .  He  was  GW, 
(  Jon.  i.i.)  as  well  as  Man.  (  $.  14.  )  And  therefore  his 
Blood  was  confidered  and  valued,  as  being  the  Blood  ofGod. 
(Act.  20.  28.J  And  hence  it  is  c ailed  precious  Blood.(i Pet. 
i.  1 8,  190  As  to  his  Perfon,    he  was  equal  with  God  the 
Father  in  Point  of  Worth  andDignity  :  And  it  was  as  much 
for  him  to  obey  and  die  in  the  Room  of  a  guilty  World, 
as  it  would  have  been,  for  God  the  Father  himfelf.  InPoint 
of  Dignity  and  Worth,  there   was  none  fuperiour  to  him. 
He  was  upon  a  Level  with  God  the  Father.    He  was  his 
Equal  and  Fellow.  Zech.  13.  7.  Awake  ^  O  Sword^ — againft 
the  Man  that  is  my  FELLOH7'.     He  was  as  glorious,    as 
honourable,  as  lovely.     Fie  was  therefore  fit  for  the  Office, 
able  to  anfwer  all  the  Ends  of  God  the  Governour  of  the 
World,  of  his  Holinefs  and  Juftice,  Law  andGovernment, 
and  perfectly  to  fecure  the  divine  Honour,  viewed  irr  every 
Point  of  Light.     The  inrmiteDignity  of  his  Nature  asGod, 
made  him  capable  of  an  Obedience  of  infinite  moralExcel- 
lency  ^  and  capable  of  making  a  full  Satisfaction  for  the 
infinite  Evil  ot  Sin.  He  could  magnify  the  Law  and  make 
it  honourable,    in   a   more    illuftrious  Manner,    than  all 
the  Angels  in  Heaven  and  Men   on  Earth   put  together  ; 
by  how  much  he  was  more  excellent  than  them  all.     If  the 
Son  of  God  obeys  and  dies,  it  is  enough :  God  and  hisLaw 
are  for  ever  fecure.     Thus,  his  being  by  Nature  GOD,  ren 
dered  him  of  fufficient  Dignity  for  the  Office  and  Work  of 
a  Mediator.  Heb.  9.  14. 

And  this  it  was  alfo,  which  made  him  capable  of  under 
taking.  As  jhe  was  God?  he  was  under  no  Obligations,  on 
his  own  Account,  to  obey  a  Law  made  for  a  Creature ;  and 
he  had  an  abfolute  Right  to  himfelf.  Every  Perfon,  that 
is  a  me  re  Creature,  is  under  natural  Obligations  to  perfect 
Obedience  on  his  own  Account ;  nor  is  he  his  own  to  dif- 
pofe  of.  But  the  Sen  of  God  was  above  a  mere  Creature, 
he  was  a  divine  Perfon,  and  previous  to  his  Undertaking 
was  under  no  Obligation  to  Obedience  ;  he  had  an  original 
Right  to  himfelf,  and  was  not  by  Nature  under  the  Law-; 
he  was,  therefore,  at  his  own  Difpofal,  and  at  full  Liberty 

Y  2  to 


324        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  IL 

to  undertake  in  ourRcom.  He  had  Power  to  aiTume  human 
Nature,&  be  made  under  theLaw  for  us3&  obey  for  us,and 
fuffer  for  us  •,  for  he  might  do  what  he  would  with  his  own. 
Job.  10.17,18. — TheSufficiency  ofChrifl  being  thus  origi 
nally  founded  in  his  Divinity  ;  Hence,  this  is  the  firftThing 
t he Apoftle  to  the/&£my.nnrifts  upon, in  order  to  explain ,clear 
up  and  confirm  theSafety  of  the  Way  of  Salvation  thro'  his 
Blood.£fc£.  i .  To  clear  up  &  confirm  theSafety  of  the  Way  of 
Salvation  thro'  the  Blood  of  Chiift,  .is  evidently  the  Scope 
and  Defign  of  that  Epiflle,  as  is  manifeft  from  the  ten  firft 
Chapters.  Particularly  fee  Chapter  10.  jr.  19 — 22.  And 
in  order  to  (hew  the  Safety  of  this  Way,  he  infifls  upon  the 
Excellency  of  his  Perfon,  and  the  Nature  of  his  Office,  his 
being  called,  appointed  and  authorized,  and  his  actually 
going  thro'  the  Work  of  our  Redemption  :  which,  toge 
ther  with  fome  occafional  Exhortations,  Digrefllons,  &c. 
is  the  Subftance  of  his  Difcourfe,  from  Chap.  i.  #.  i.  to 
Chap.  10.  $.  23. 

Thus,  as  GOD,  he  was  of  infinite  Dignity  and  Worth  : 
as  GOD,  he  was  at  Liberty  to  undertake.  He  had  an 
Eftate  (if  I  may  fo  fpeak)  of  his  own,  and  could  pay  the 
Debt  of  another  with  what  was  his  own,  and  purchafe  for 
us  an  Inheritance.  And  I  may  add,  that  as  he  was  the 
Son  of  God>  the  fecond  Perfon  in  the  Trinity,  there  was  a 
Suitablenefs,  that  he,  rather  than  either  of  the  other  Per- 
fons,  iliould  be  appointed  to  this  Work.  The  Father 
fuftains  the  Character  of  fupreme  Lord  and  Governour, 
afferts  the  Rights  of  the  God-head,  maintains  the  Honour 
of  his  Law  and  Government.  The  Son  becomes  Mediator 
between  God  and  Man,  to  open  a  Door  for  God  to  fhew 
Mercy  to  Man  ccnfiftently  with  his  Honour,  and  for  Man 
to  return  to  God  with  Safety.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  the 
Sandtifier,  to  work  in  Sinners  to  will  and  to  do,  and  reco 
ver  and  bring  them  to  repent  and  return  to  God  thro'  Je- 
fus  Chrift.  Thus  the  Gofpel  teaches  us  to  believe.  Eph. 
2.  18. 

He  alfo  was  made  Flejh  and  dwelt  among  us,  and  for  our 
fakes  was  mad?  under  the  Law  ;  to  the  End,  that  in  our 
Nature  he  might  fulfil  all  Right  eoufnefi,  and  bear  tie  Curfe. 
As  he  was  one  wit&  the  Father^  he  was  lit  to  be  Letrufted 

with 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   325 

with  his  Father's  Honour.  As  he  was  Immanuel,  God  with 
us,  he  was  fit  to  be  betrufled  with  our  Salvation.  As  he 
was  God-Man,  he  was  fit  to  be  Mediator  between  God  and 
Man.  His  Humanity  rendered  him  capable  to  appear  in 
the  Form  of  a  Servant,  and  to  become  obedient  unto  Death  : 
and  his  Divinity  rendred  his  Obedience  and  Sufferings  fuf- 
ficient  to  anfwer  the  Ends  defigned.  This  is  He  of  whom 
the  Text  fpeaks,  Gcd  fo  loved  the  World,  that  he  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son.  He  gave  him,  he  appointed  him  to  the 
Work,  he  put  him  into  the  Office,  he  anointed  him,  and 
then  he  laid  on  him  the  Iniquities  of  us  all,  and  fet  him  forth 
to  be  a  Propitiation.  Which  brings  me  to  confider, 

(2.)  That  he  was  fujficiently  authorized  to  be  a  Mediator 
between  Gcd  and  Man  -,  to  take  the  Place  of  Sinners,  and  to 
obey  and  die  in  the  Room  of  a  guilty  World. —  God  the 
fupreme  Governour  of  the  World  had  diffident  Power  and 
Authority  to  appoint  the/r/£  Adam  to  be  a  Reprefentative 
for  his  Pofterity,  to  act  in  their  Room  :  and  by  the  fame 
Authority  he  has  appointed  his  Son,  the  fecond  Adam,  to 
be  a  fecond  publick  Head.  Rom.  5.  12 — 19.  By  divine 
Conilitution,  the  firft  Adam  was  made  a  publick  Perfon  ; 
and  by  divine  Conilitution,  the  fecond  Adam  is  made  fuch 
too.  Both  receive  all  their  Authority  to  acl  in  that  Capa 
city  from  the  Conftitution  of  God. — The  calling,  appoint 
ing  and  authorizing  of  Chrifl,  to  take  upon  him  this  Office 
and  Work  of  a  Mediator  and  high  Prieft,  is  particularly 
treated  of  in  the  fifth  Chapter  to  the  Hebrews.  He  was 
called  of  God,  as  was  Aaron,  ver.  4.  He  took  not  this  high 
Office  upon  himfelf,  but  was  inverted  with  it  by  his  Father, 
^-.5.  He  was  called  of  God  an  high  Prieft  after  the  Order  of 
Melchifedek,  tf.  10.  His  Father  propofed  the  Office  and 
the  Work  ;  and  he  willingly  undertook.  Lo,  I  come  to  do 
thy  Will,  O  God.  Heb.  10.  7.  God  fo  loved  the  World,  that 
be  GAVE  bis  only  begotten  Son,  Joh.  3.  16.  And  hence 
Chrift  fays,  He  did  not  come  of  himfelf,  but  was  fent  of  his 
Father,  Joh.  7.  28,  29.  And  that  he  did  not  come  to  do  his 
own  Will,  but  the  Will  of  him  that  fent  him,  Joh.  6.  38, 
And  his  Father  acknowledges  him  as  fuch  by  a  Voice  from 
Heaven.  Mat.  17.5.  'This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  lam 
well  pkafed-,  hear  ye  him. 

Y  3  Without 


326          ^Irtte  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

Without  fuch  a  divine  Conftitution,  the  Death  of  Chriil 
could  have  been  of  no  Benefit  to  Mankind.  As,  if  an  in 
nocent  Man  fhould  offer  to  die  in  the  Room  of  a  condem 
ned  Criminal,  and  Ihould  actually  lay  down  his  Life  •,  yet 
it  could  be  of  no  Benefit  to  the  poor  Criminal,  unlefs  the 
civil  Government  had  authorized  him  fo  to  do.  i.  e.  unlefs, 
by  fome  act,  they  had  declared,  that  his  Life  Ihould  be  ac 
cepted,  in  the  Eye  of  the  Law,  inftead  of  the  Criminal's. 
The  Application  is  eafy. — •  Thus  Chrift  was  called  and  put 
into  his  mediatoral  Office  and  authorized  to  the  Work,  by 
God  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World.  And  hence 
in  Allufion  to  the  Jewifh  Cuflom  of  anointing  Men,  when 
advanced  to  fome  high  Office  and  important  Truft  ;  (  fo 
Aaron  was  anointed  Prieft,  and  David  was  anointed  King :  ) 
in  Allufion,  I  fay,  to  this,  he  is  called  CHRIST?  which  is 
by  Interpretation,  the  ANOINTED.  Thus,  as  to  hisPer- 
fonal  Dignity,  he  was  fufficient  to  undertake  j  and  thus, was 
he  authorized  to  do  fo.  And 

(3.)  What  he  has  done  is  perfectly  fuited,  in  its  ownNature, 
to  anfwer  all  the  Ends  prop  of  id.  That  is,  to  fecure  theHo- 
nourof  God,  the  Honour  of  his  Holinefs,  Juftice  and 
Truth,  his  Law,  Government  and  facred  Authority  ;  and 
fo  open  a  Door  for  the  free  and  honourable  Exercife  of  his 
Mercy  and  Grace  towards  a  finful,  guilty  World,  and  a 
Way  in  which  Sinners  might  return  to  God  with  divineAc- 
ceptance.  God  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World  knew 
upon  what  Grounds  there  was  Need  of  a  Mediator,  what 
Ends  he  had  to  anfwer,  and  how  they  might  be  anfwered 
in  the  beft  Manner,  According  to  the  Counfel  of  his  own 
Will,  in  his  infinite  Wifdom,  he  laid  the  very  Plan,  which 
is  now  revealed  to  us  in  the  Gofpel.  He  appointed  one 
to  be  aMediator  whom  he  judged  fit,  put  him  into  theOffice, 
and  appointed  him  his  Work.  All  this  Work  JefusChrift 
has  done.  He  has  fnijhed  the  Work,  which  the  Father  gave 
him  to  do.  Joh.  17.  4.  &  19.  30.  And  fo  has  bttn  faithful 
to  him  that  appointed  him.  Heb.  3.2.  So  that  herefrom  we 
might  be  afTured,  that  what  he  has  dene,  is  moft  perfectly 
fuited  in  it's  own  Nature  to  anfwer  all  the  Ends  propofed, 
altho'  it  were  quite  beyond  us  to  underftand  bow. — But,by 
thelleip  of  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God,  we  may  be  able 

to 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits    327 

to  enter  a  little  Way  into  this  wonderful  and   glorious 
Myftery. 

It  was  fit,  the  jirfl  Adam^  as  the  Reprefentative  and  pub- 
lick  Head  of  Mankind,  mould,  as  a  Condition  of  the  ever- 
1  ailing  Love  and  Favour  of  God,  have  continued  in  a  moft 
willing  and  perfect  Subjection  to  God  the  Governouf  of  the 
World,  valuing  his  Honour  and  Glory  above  all  Things. 
This  was  God's  Due.  This  would  have  fatisfied  God's 
Holinefs  :  for  Holinefs  is  fatisfied,  when  the  Thing  which 
is  right  and  fit  is  done.  Holinefs  wants  no  more  \  but  is 
then  content  and  weil-pleafed.  And  upon  this  Condition, 
Mankind  might  have  been  confidered,  as  Subjects  fit  for 
the  divine  Favour  -,  and  might  have  received  the  promifed 
Reward,  to  the  Honour  of  the  divine  Holinefs  and  Good- 

nefs. Now  Jefus  Chrift   the  Son  of  God  has,  by  his 

Father's  Appointment  and  Approbation,  aflumed  our  Na 
ture,  taken  Adam's  Place,  done  that  which  was  Adam's 
Duty  in  our  Room  and  Stead,  as  another  pyblick  Head, 
obeyed  the  Law  God  gave  his  Creature,  %  Law  which  he 
was  not  under,  but  in  Confequence  of  his  undertaking  to 
ftand  in  our  Room  and  Stead.  The  Creature  fails  of  pay 
ing  that  Honour  to  the  Governour  of  the  World,  which  is 
his  Due  from  the  Creature.  A  GOD  lays  afide  his  Glory, 
appears  in  the  Form  of  a  Servant,  and  becomes  Obedient ; 
and  fo,  in  the  Creature's  Stead  and  Behalf,  pays  that  Ho 
nour  to  the  Governour  of  the  World,  which  was  the  Crea 
ture's  Duty.  And  thus  the  Governour  of  the  World  is 
confidered,  refpeded,  treated  and  honoured,  as  being 
what  he  is,  by  Man,  i.  e.  by  their  Reprefentative  Chrift 
Jefus,  God-Man- Mediator.  And  now,  hereby  God's  Right 
to  the  Obedience  of  his  Creatures,  and  their  Unworthinefs 
of  his  Favour  upon  any  other  Condition,  are  publickly 
owned  and  acknowledged  :  the  Debt  is  owned,  and  the 
Debt  is  paid  by  the  Son  of  God ;  and  fo  Holinefs  is  fatis 
fied  :  for  Holinefs  is  fatisfied,  when  the  Thing  that  is  right 
and  fit  is  done.  And  now  this  Door  being  opened,  Man- 
kincj  may  thro'  Chrift  be  confidered  as  Subjects  to  whom 
Goct  may  Ihew  Favour  confiftent  with  his  Honour.  Y^a^ 
the  divine  Holinefs  may  be  honoured,  by  granting  all  Fa 
vours,  as  a  Reward  to  thrift's  Virtue  and  Obedience. 

Y  4  Again, 


328          'True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  IL 

Again,  it  was  fit,  if  any  intclligentCreature  fhou'd  at  any 
Time  fwerve  at  all  from  the  perfect  Will  of  God,  that  he 
Should  for  ever  lofe  his  Favour,  and  fall  under  his  everlaft-  j 
ing  Difpleafure,  for  a  Thing  fo  infinitely  Wrong.  And  in 
fuch  a  Cafe,  it  was  fit  the  Governour  of  the  World  ihould 
be  infinitely  difpleafed,  and  publickly  teftify  his  infinite 
Difpleafure,  by  a  Punifhment  adequate  thereto,infiid:ed  on 
the  finningCreature.  This  would  fatisfy  Juftice  :  forjuftice 
is  fatisfied,  when  the  Thing  which  is  wrong,  is  punifhed 

according  to  it's  Defert. Hence,  it  was  fit,  when,  by  a 

Conftitution  holy,  juft  and  good,  Adam  was  made  a  public 
Head,  to  reprefent  his  Race,  and  a<5l  not  only  for  himfelf, 
but  for  all  his  Pofterity  •,  it  was  fit,  I  fay,  that  he  and  all 
his  Race,  for  his  fir  ft  Tranfgreffion,  ihould  lofe  the  Favour, 
and  fall  under  the  everlafting  Difpleafure,  of  the  Almighty. 
It  was  fit,  that  God  fhould  be  infinitely  difpleafed  at  fo 
abominable  a  Thing  •,  and  that  as  Governour  of  the  World 
he  ihould  publickly  bear  Teftimony  againft  it,  as  an  infi 
nite  Evil,  by  infli&ing  the  infinite  Pumlhment  the  Law 
threatned,  i.  e.  by  damning  the  whole  World.  This  would 
have  fatisfied  Juftice  :  for  Juilice  is  fatisfied  when  Juftice 
takes  Place,  when  the  guilty  are  treated  with  that  Seventy 
they  ought  to  be,  when  Sin  is  punifhed,  as  being,  what  it 

is. Now,  Jefus  Chrift  the  Son  of  God  has,  by  his 

Father's  Appointment  and  Approbation,  affumed  our  Na 
ture,  taken  the  Place  of  a  guilty  World  •,  and  had  not  only 
Adarrfs  firft  Tranfgreffion,  but  the  Iniquities  of  us  all  laid 
upon  him  ;  and  in  our  Room  and  Stead  has  fuffered  the 
Wrath  of  God,  the  Curfe  of  the  Law,  offering  up  himfelf 
a  Sacrifice  to  God  for  the  Sins  of  Men.  And  hereby  the 
infinite  Evil  of  Sin,  and  the  Righteoufnefs  of  the  Law,  are 
publickly  owned  and  acknowledged,  and  the  deferved 
Funifhment  voluntarily  fubmitted  unto  by  Man,  ie.  by 
their  Repreientative.  And  thus  Juftice  is  fatisfied  :  For 
Juftice  is  fatisfied,  when  Juftice  takes  Place.  And  Sin  is 
now  treated  as  being  what  it  is,  as  much  as  if  God  had 
damned  the  whole  \Vorld  \  and  God,  as  Governour,  ap 
pears  as  fevere  againft  it.  And  thus  the  Righteoufnefs  of 
God  is  declared  and  manifefted,  by  Chrift's  being  let  forth 
to  be  a  Propitiation  for  Sin  •,  and  he  may  now  be  juft, 
ancl  yet  juftify  him  that  believes  in  Jefus.  By 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  329 


By  all  thisj  the  Law  is  magnified  and  made  honourable. 
On  the  one  Hand  j  were  any  in  all  God's  Dominions  temp 
ted  to  think,  that  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  had 
dealt  too  feverely  with  Man,  in  fufpending  his  everlafting 
Welfare  upon  the  Condition  of  perfect  Obedience  ?  God 
pradtically  anfwers,and  fays,  "  I  did  as  well  by  Mankind, 
"  as  I  Ihould  defire  to  have  been  done  by,  my  felf  ;  had  I 
**  been  in  their  Cafe,  and  they  in  mine.  For  when  my  Son, 
"  who  is  as  my  felf,  came  to  ftand  in  their  Stead,  I  required 
"  the  fame  Condition  of  him."  -  And  what  the  Father 
fays,  the  Son  confirms.  He  practically  owns  the  Law  to 
be  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  the  Debt  to  be  due,  and  pays 
it  moft  willingly  to  the  laft  Mite,  without  any  Objection. 
Which  was  as  if  he  had  faid,  "There  was  all  the  Reafon  in 
"  the  World,  that  the  everlafting  Welfare  of  Mankind 
"  fhould  be  fufpended  on  that  Condition  ;  nor  could  I 
"  have  defired  it  to  have  been  other  wife,  had  1  my  felf 
"  been  in  their  Cafe."  -  On  the  other  Hand  ;  were  any 
tempted  to  think,  that  God  had  been  too  fevere  in  threat- 
ning  everlafting  Damnation  for  Sin  ?  Here  this  Point  is 
alfo  cleared  up.  God  the  Father  practically  fays,  that  he 
did,  as  he  would  have  been  done  by,  had  he  been  in  their 
Cafe,  and  they  in  his.  For  when  his  Son,  his  fecond  Self, 
comes  to  ftand  in  their  Place  ;  he  abates  nothing,  but  ap 
pears  as  great  air  Enemy  to  Sin,  in  his  Conduct,  as  if  he 
had  damned  the  whole  World.  His  Son  alfo  owns  the 
Sentence  juft.  He  takes  the  Cup  and  drinks  it  off.  Con- 
fidering  the  infinite  Dignity  of  his  Perfon,  his  Sufferings 
were  equivalent,  to  the  eternal  Damnation  of  fuch  Worms 
as  we. 

Thus  the  -Law  is  magnified  and  made  honourable  ;  and 
at  the  fame  Time  the  Honour  of  God's  Government  &  fa- 
cred  Authority  is  fecured.  And  I  may  add,  fo  is  alfo  the 
Honour  of  his  'Truth  :  for  he  has  been  true  to  his  Threat- 
ning,  In  the  Day  thou  eateft  thereof  \  thou  Jhalt  furely  die  : 
For  on  that  very  Day  the  fecond  Adam  virtually  laid  down 
his  Life  in  the  Room  and  Stead  of  a  guilty  World.  He 
is  the  Lamb  Jlain  from  the  Foundation  of  the  World.  —  So  that 
now  there  is  no  Room  left,  for  thofe  that  will  view  Things 
impartially,  to  have  undue  Thoughts  of  the  Governour  of 

the 


330          True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

the  World  \  nor  any  Thing  done  to  expofe  his  Govern 
ment  to  Reproach,  or  his  Authority  to  Contempt,  ,The 
Honour  of  the  divine  Government  and  Authority  appears 
as  facred  and  tremendous,  as  if  he  had  damned  the  whole 
World.  And  altho'  Sinners  will  take  Occafion  to  fin  and 
be  encouraged  in  their  Ways,  becaufe  Grace  abounds ;  yet 
the  Governour  of  the  World  has  not  given  the  Oc 
cafion.  In  his  Conduct,  the  whole  of  it  confidered, 
he  appears  as  fevere  againft  Sin,  as  if  he  had  damned 
the  whole  World,  without  any  Mixture  of  the  leaft  Mercy. 
The  infinite  Dignity  of  his  Son  caufes  that  thofe  Suffer 
ings  he  bore  in  our  Room,  are  as  bright  a  Difplay  of  the 
divine  Hoiinefs  and  Juftice,  as  if  all  the  human  Race  had 
for  their  Sin  been  caft  into  the  Lake  of  Fire  &  Brimflone  ; 
and  the  Smoke  of  their  Torments  afcended  for  ever  and 
ever. 

MOREOVER,  By  all  this,  a  Way  is  opened  for  the  free 
and  honourable  Exercife  of  Mercy  and  Grace  towards  a 
fmful,  guilty  World.  It  may  be  done  confiftently  with  the 
Honour  of  God,  of  his  Hoiinefs  sid  Juftice,  his  Law  and 
Government,  his  Truth  and  facred  Authority :  for  the 
Honour  of  all  thefe  is  effectually  fecured. — It  may  be  done 
to  the  Honour  of  divine  Grace  :  for  now  it  appears,  that 
God  did  not  pity  the  World  under  a  Notion  that  they  had 
been  by  him  feverely  and  hardly  dealt  with,  nor  under  a 
Notion  it  would  have  been  too  fevere  to  have  proceeded 
againft  them  according  to  Law.  The  Law  is  not  made 
void,  but  eftablifhed.  No  ReHe&ions  are  caft  upon  the 
divine  Government.  And  Grace  appears  to  be  free,  taking 
its  Rife,  not  from  any  Thing  in  us,  but  merely  from  felf- 
moving  Goodnefs  and  fovereign  .  Mercy.  —  This  Way  of 
Salvation  is  fuited  to  fet  off  the  Grace  of  God  to  Advantage, 
and  make  it  appear  to  be  what  it  is. 

Having  thus  finifhed  the  Work  afligned  him  ;  he  arofe 
from  the  Dead,  he  afcended  on  high,  he  entred  into  the 
Holy  of  Holies,  into  Heaven  it  felf,  to  appear  in  the  Pre- 
fence  of  God  for  us,  as  our  great  high  Prieft.  Heb.  9.  And 
here  as  God-Man  Mediator  he  is  exalted  to  the  higheftHo- 
nour,  has  a  Name  above  every  Name,  fits  on  the  right 
Hand  of  the  Majefty  on  high,  having  all  Power  in  Heaven 

and 


and  diftinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.   331 

atod  Earth  committed  unto  him,  and  ever  lives  to  make 
Interceffion,  and  is  able  to  fave  to  the  uttermoft  all  that 
corne  to  God  thro'  him, — Such  is  the  Virtue  of  his  Righte- 
oufnefs  and  Blood,  and  fuch  is  his  Honour  and  Intereil  in 
the  Court  of  Heaven,  and  fuch  is  his  Faithfulnefs  to  all  that 
believe  in  him  •,  that  now  it  is  perfectly  fafe,  to  return  to 
God  thro'  him,  and  venture  our  everlafting  ALL  upon  his 
Worth  and  Merits,  Mediation  and  Interceffion.  Heb.4.i6. 
Let  us  therefore  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  Grace. 

Thus  we  fee  ^tfhat  Neceffity  there  was  of  Satisfaction  for 
Sin,  and  that  the  Demands  of  the  Law  fhould  be  anfwered : 
And  thus  we  fee  what  has  been  done  for  thefe  Purpofes, 
and  it's  Sufficiency  to  anfwer  all  the  Ends  propofed.  The 
Mediator  was  of  fufficient  Dignity  as  to  his  Perfon,  he  had 
fufficient  Authority  as  to  his  Office,  and  he  has  faithfully 
done  his  Work.  And  now  the  Honour  of  God's  Holineft 
and  Juftice,  Law  and  Government  and  facredAuthority,  is 
fecured  ;  and  a  Way  is  opened  in  which  he  may  honoura 
bly  put  his  Defigns  of  Mercy  into  Execution,  and  Sinners 

lately  return  unto  him. And  now,  before  I  proceed  to 

confider  more  particularly  what  a  Way  is  opened,  and  what 
Methods  God  has  entered  upon  for  the  Recovery  of  iinful, 
guilty  Creatures  to  himfelf,  I  mall  make  a  few  Remarks 
upon  what  has  been  faid. 

REMARK  i.  As  the  Law  is  a  <Tranfcript  of  the  divineNa- 
ture^  fo  alfo  is  the  G  off  el.  The  Law  is  holy,  jufl  and  good, 
and  is  as  it  were  the  Image  of  the  Holinefs,  Juftice  and 
Goodnefs  of  God  -,  and  fo  alfo  is  the  Gofpel.  TheLaw  in- 
fifts  upon  God's  Honour  from  the  Creature,  and  ordains 
that  his  everlafting  Welfare  mall  be  fufpended  upon  that 
Condition  ;  and  the  Gofpel  fays  Amen  to  it.  The  Law 
infifts  upon  it,  that  it  is  an  infinite  Evil  for  the  Creature  to 
fwerve  in  the  leaft  from  the  moft  perfect  Will  of  God,  and 
that  it  deferves  an  infinite  Punifhment  j  and  the  Gofpel 
fays  Amen  to  it.  TheLaw  difcovered  alfo  the  infiniteGood- 
nefs  of  God,  in  it's  being  fuited  to  make  the  obedient 
Creature  perfectly  happy  ;  but  the  Gofpel  ftill  more  abun 
dantly  difplays  the  infinite  Goodnefs  and  wonderful  free 
Grace  of  God.  The  Law  was  holy,  juft  and  good,  and 
the  Image  of  God's  Holinefs,  Juftice  and  Goodnefs  ;  but 

the 


33  2        True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

the  Gofpel  is  more  eminently  fo :  In  it  the  Holinefs,  Juf- 
tice  a» d  Goodnefs  of  God  are  painted  more  to  the  Life,  in 
a  Manner  truly  furprizing,  and  beyond  ourComprehenfion  •, 
yea,  to  the  Amazement  of  Angels,  who  defire  to  look  and 
pry  into  this  wonderful  Contrivance,  i  Pet.  i.  12. 

Here  in  this  Glafs  the  Glory  of  the  Lord  is  to  be  beheld. 
2  Cor.  3.18.  The  Glory  of  God  is  to  be  feen  in  the  Face  of 
Chrift.  2  Cor,  4.  6.  What  has  been  by  him  done  in  this 
Affair  diicovers  the  glorious  moral  Beauty  of  the  divine 
Nature.  Much  of  God  is  to  be  feen  in  the  moral  Law,  it 
is  his  Image  •,  but  more  of  God  is  to  be  feen  in  the  Gofpel, 
for  herein  his  Image  is  exhibited  more  to  the  Life,  more 
clearly  and  confpicuoufly. 

The  moral  Excellency  of  the  moral  Law  fufficiently  evi 
dences,  that  it  is  fromGod  ,  it  is  fo  much  like  God,that  it 
is  evident  that  it  is  from  God  :  So  the  moral  Excellency  of 
the  Gofpel  fufficiently  evidences  that  it  is  from  God  ^  it  is 
fo  much  like  him,  that  it  is  evident  that  it  is  from  him  :  It 
is  his  very  Image  :  therefore  it  is  hisOffspring  :  it  is  aCopy 
of  his  moral  Perfections,  and  they  are  the  Original.  It  is 
fo  much  like  God,  that  it  is  perfectly  to  his  Mind,  he  is 
pleafed  with  it,  he  delights  to  faveSinners  in  thisWay.  And 
if  ever  this  Gofpel  becomes  the  Power  of  God  to  our  Salva 
tion,  it  will  make  us  like  unto  God,  it  will  transform  us  in 
to  his  Image,  and  we  fhall  be  pleafed  with  this  Way  of 
Salvation,  and  delight  to  be  faved  in  fuch  a  Way  -9  a  Way 
wherein  God  is  honoured,  the  Sinner  humbled,  the  Law 
eflablifhed,  Sin  difcountcnanced,  Boafting  excluded,  and 
Grace  glorified. 

If  any  Man  has  a  Tafte  for  moral  Excellency,a  Heart  to 
account  God  glorious  for  being  what  he  is  -,  he  cannot  but 
fee  the  moral  Excellency  of  the  Law,  and  love  it,  and  con 
form  to  it  •,  becaufe  it  is  the  Image  of  God:  and  fo  he  can 
not  but  fee  the  moral  Excellency  of  the  Gofpel,  and  believe 
it,  and  love  it,  and  comply  with  it ;  for  it  is  alfo  the  Image 
of  God.  He  that  can  fee  the  moral  Beauty  of  theOriginal, 
cannot  but  fee  the  moral  Beauty  of  the  Image  drawn  to  the 
Life.  He  therefore  that  defpifes  theGofpel,  and  is  anEne- 
my  to  the  Law  -5  even  he  is  at  Enmity  againft  God  him- 
f$lf.  Rom.  8.  7.  Ignorance  of  the  Glory  of  God  &  Enmity 

againft 


and  diftinguijhed from  allCounterfeits.  333 

againft  him,  makes  Men  ignorant  of  the  Glory  of  the 
Law  and  of  the  Gofpel,  and  Enemies  to  both.  Did?  Men 
know  and  love  him  that  begat,  they  would  love  that  which  is 
begot  ten  of  him.  i  Joh.  5.  i.  He  that  is  of  God^hearethGod's 
Words  \  ye  therefore  bear  them  not,  because  ye  are  not  of  God. 
Joh.  8.  47. 

And  therefore  a  genuine  Compliance  with  the  Gofpel 
fuppofes,  that  he,  ^:ho  commanded  the  Light  to  fiine  cut  of 
Darknefs^  /bines  in  the  Heart^  to  give  the  Light  of  the  Know 
ledge  of  the  Glory  of  God  in  the  Face  of  Jefus  Cbrift,  2  Cor. 
4.  6.  And  a  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the  moral  Excellency  of 
the  Gofpel- Way  of  Salvation  allures  the  Heart  of  it's  Divi 
nity  -,  and  hereby  a  fupernatural  and  divine  Aflent  to  the 
Truth  of  the  Gofpel  is  begotten  in  the  Heart.  And  a  Senfe 
of  the  infinite  Dignity  of  the  Mediator,  and  that  he  was 
feat  of  God,  and  that  he  has  ftnifhed  the  Work  which  was 
given  him  to  do,  and  fo  opened  and  confecrated  a  new  and 
living  W ay  of  accefs  to  God  •,  together  with  a  Senfe  of  the 
full  and  free  Invitation,  to  Sinners  to  return  to  God  in  this 
Way,  given  in  the  Gofpel,  and  thefreeGrace  of  God  there 
in  di [covered,  and  his  Readmefs  to  be  reconciled  ;  a  fpiri- 
tual  Sight  and  Senfe  of  thefe  Things,  I  fay,  emboldens  the 
Heart  of  a  humbled  Sinner  to  truft  in  Chrift,  and  to  re 
turn  to  God  thro'  him.  Hence  the  Apofle  to  \\\tHebrewsy 
having  gone  thro'  this  Subject  in  a  doctrinal  Way,  in  the 
Conciufion  makes  this  practical  Inference.  Having  there 
fore^  Brethren^  Boldnefs  to  enter  into  the  Holieft  by  the  Blood 
of  JefiiSi  by  a  new  and  living  Way  which  he  hath  confecrated 
for  us,  thro*  the  Vail^  that  is  to  fay^  his  Flejh  •,  and  having  a 
high  Prieft  over  the  Houfe  of  God^  let  us  draw  near  with  a 
true  Heart  and  full  Affurance  of  Faith .  Heb.  i  o .  19 — 22. 

REM.  2.  From  what  has  been  faid,  we  may  obferve,that 
the  Necefilty  of  Satisfaction  for  Sin  and  of  the  preceptive 
Part  of  the  Law  being  anfwered,  takes  it's  Rife  from  the 
moral  Perfections  of  the  divine  Nature,  and  the  moral  Fit- 
nefs  of  Things  ;  and  therefore  a  true  Idea  of  God  and  a 
juft  Senfe  of  the  moralFitnefs  of  Things  will  naturally  lead 
us  to  fee  the  Neceffity  of  Satisfaction  for  Sin,  &c.  and  pre- 
difpofe  us  to  underftand  and  believe  v/hat  is  held  forth  by 
divine  Revelation  to  that  Purpofe.  On  the  other  Hand, 

where 


334        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  II. 

where  a  true  Idea,  of  the  moral  Perfections  of  God  and  the 
moral  Fitnefs  of  Things,  is  not  ,  but  on  the  contrary, very 
wrong  Notions  of  the  divine  Being  and  of  the  true  Nature 
of  Things  ^  there  will  naturally  be  an  Indifpofition  and 
an  Avcrfion  to  fuch  Principles,  nor  will  what  the  Gofpel 
teaches  about  them  be  readily  underilood  or  believed.  And 
doubtlefs  it  was  this  which  originally  led  fome  to  deny  the 
Neceffity  of  Satisfaction  for  Sin,  and  others  to  go  a  Step 
farther,  to  deny  thatChrift  ever  defigned  to  make  any.  Joh. 
8.  47.  He  that  is  of 'God,  heareth  Gctfs  Words  \  ye  therefore 
hear  them  not^  becaufe  ye  are  not  of  God. 

REM.  3.  The  Death  of  Chrift  was  not  defigned  at  all  to 
take  away  the  evil  N ature  of  Sin,  or  it's  ill  Defert ;  for  Sin 
is  unalterably  what  it  is,  and  cannot  be  made  a  lefs  Evil  : 
But  the  Death  of  Chrift  was  rather  on  the  contrary,  to  ac 
knowledge  and  manifefl  the  evil  Nature  and  ill  Defert  of 
Sin,  to  the  End  that  pardoning  Mercy  might  not  make  it 
feem  to  be  a  lefs  Evil  than  it  really  is.  So  that  altho'God 
may  freely  pardon  all  our  Sins  and  entitle  us  to  eternal  Life 
for  Chrift's  Sake  ,  yet,  he  does  look  upon  us,  confidered 
merely  as  in  our  felves,  to  be  as  much  to  blame  as  ever,and 
to  deferve  Hell  as  much  as  ever  -,  and  therefore  we  are  al 
ways  to  look  upon  our  felves  fo  too.  And  hence  we  ought 
always  to  live  under  a  Senfe  of  the  Freenefs  and  Riches  of 
God'sGrace  in  pardoning  ourSins  •,  &  under  aSenfe  of  our 
own  Vilenefs  and  ill  Defert.,  in  our  felves,  upon  the  Ac 
count  of  them,  altho'  pardon'd.  T'hat  thou  mayft  remember 
and  be  confounded,  and  never  of  en  thy  Mouth  any  more  becaufe 
of  thy  Shame,  when  I  am  pacified  toward  thee  for  all  that  thcu 
haft  done,  faith  the  Lord  God.  Ezek.  16.  63.  But  this  is 
not  the  Way  of  Hypocrites  :  For  being  once  confident 
that  their  Sins  are  pardoned,,  their  Shame,  Sorrow  and 
Abafement  are  foon  at  an  End.  And  having  no  Fear  of 
Hell,  they  have  but  little  Senfe  of  Sin.  And  from  the  Doc 
trine  of  free  Grace,  they  are  emboldened,  as  it  were,  to  fin 
upon  free  Coft.  But  thus  faith  the  Lord,  When  I  /hall fay 
to  the  Righteous*  that  he  Jhall  furely  live:  If  be  truft  to  his 
c<wn  Rightecufnefs  and  commit  Iniquity  ;  all  his  Rightecufnefs 
/hall  not  be  remembered,  but  jcrkis  Iniquity  that  he  hath  com 
mit  ted,  he /hall  die  for  it.  Ezek.  33,  13. 

REM. 


and diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   335 

REM.  4.  Nor  was  the  Death  of  Chrife  defigned  to  draw 
forth  the  Pity  of  God  towards  a  guilty  World.  For  God 
could  find  it  in  his  Heart,  of  his  mere  Goodnefs,  without 
any  Motive  from  without,  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son 
to  die  for  Sinners.  But  this  was  greater  Goodnefs,  than  it 
would  have  been  to  have  faved  Mankind  by  an  Act  of 
ibvereign  Grace  without  any  Mediator  :  it  was  a  more 
expenfive  Way.  As,  for  an  earthly  Sovereign  to  give  his 
only  Son  to  die  for  a  Traitor,  that  the  Traitor  might  live, 
would  be  a  greater  Ac!  of  Goodnefs,  than  to  pardon  the 

Traitor,  of  mere   Sovereignty. It  was  not  therefore 

becaufe  the  Goodnefs  of  the  divine  Nature  needed  arty 
Motive  to  draw  it  forth  into  Exercife,  that  Jefus  Chriil 
obeyed  and  died  in  our  Room  :  But  it  was  to  anfwer  the 
Ends  of  moral-  Government,  and  to  fecure  the  Honour 
of  the  moral  Governour  ;  and  fo  open  a  Way  for  the 
honourable  Exercife  of  the  divine  Goodnefs,  which,  in  its 
own  Nature,  is  infinite,  free  and  felf-moving,  and  wants 
no  Motive  from  without  to  draw  it  forth  into  Ac!.  And 
the  fame,  no  doubt,  may  be  faid  of  Ghrift's  Interceffion  in 

Heaven. We  are  therefore,  in  our  approaches  to  God, 

not  to  look  to  Chriil  to  perfuade  the  Father  to  pity  and 
pardon  us,  as  tho'  he  was  not  willing  to  fhew  Mercy  of 
his  own  Accord  :  but  we  are  to  look  to  Chrift  and  go  to 
God  thro'  him  for  all  we  want,  under  a  Senfe  that  we  are 
in  our  felves  too  bad  to  be  pitied  without  fome  fufficient 
Salvo  to  the  divine  Honour,  or  to  have  any  Mercy  (hewn 
us.  And  therefore  when  we  look  to  be  juftified  by  free 
Grace,  it  muft  be  only  thro'  the  Redemption  that  is  in  Jefus 
Chrift  •,  who  has  been  fet  forth  to  be  a  Propitiation  for  Sin, 
to  declare  God's  Right  coufxefs,  that  he  might  be  jttft,  and  the 
Jtiftifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jefus.  Rom,  3.24,25,26. 

REM.  5.  Some  of  the  peculiar  Principles  of  the  Antino- 
mians,  feem  to  take  their  Rife  from  wrong  Notions  of  the 
Nature  of  Satisfaction  for  Sin.  They  feem  to  have  no 
right  Notions  of  the  moral  Perfections  of  God,  and  of  the 
natural  Obligations  we  are  under  to  him,  nor  any  right 
Apprehenfions  of  the  Nature  and  Ends  of  moral  Govern 
ment,  nor  any  Ideas  of  the  Grounds,  Nature  and  Ends  of 
Satisfaction  for  Sin.  (A  right  Senfe  of  which  Things  tends 


336       True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  II. 

powerfully  to  promote  a  holy  Fear  and  reverential  Awe  of 
the  dread  Majefty  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  a  Senfe  of  the 
infinite  Evil  of  Sin,  brokennefs  of  Heart,  tendernefs  of 
Confcience,  a  humble,  holy,  watchful,  prayerful  Temper 
and  Life,  as  well  as  to  prepare  the  Way  tor  Faith  in  the 
Blood  of  Chrift.)  But  they  feem  to  have  no  right  Appre- 
henfions  of  thefe  Things.  They  feem  to  confider  God 
merely  under  the  Notion  of  a  Cr  editor  ^  and  us  merely  under 
the  Notion  of  Debtors  •,  and  to  fuppofe,  when  Chrift  upon 
the  Crofs  faid,  //  is  finijhed^  he  then  paid  the  whole  Debt  of 
theElect,and  faw  theBook  croft, whereby  all  their  Sins  were 
actually  blotted  out  and  forgiven :  and  now  all  that  re 
mains,  is  for  the  holy  Spirit  immediately  to  reveal  it  to 
one  and  another,  that  he  is  elected,  and  fo  for  him  Chrift 
died,  and  fo  his  Sins  are  all  pardoned ;  which  Revelation 
he  is  firmly  to  believe,  and  never  again  to  doubt  of :  and 
this  they  call  Faith.  From  which  it  feems  they  underftand 
nothing  rightly  about  God  or  Chrift,  the  Law  or  Gofpel. 
For  nothing  is  more  evident  than  that  God  is  in  Scripture 
confidered  as  righteous  Governour  of  the  World,  and  we  as 
Criminals  guilty  before  him  ;  and  the  evident  Defign  of 
Chrift's  Death  was,  to  be  a  Propitiation  for  Sin,  to  declare 
and  manifeft  God's  Righteoufnefs,that  he  might  be  juft,  and 
thejuftifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jefus.  Rom.  3.  9 — 26. 
And  the  Gofpel  knows  nothing  about  a  Sinner's  being 
juftified  in  any  other  Way  than  by  Faith^  and  by  Confe- 
quence  in  order  of  Nature  not  till  after  Faith.  The  Gofpel 
knows  nothing  about  Satisfaction  for  Sin  in  their  Senfe  ; 
but  every  where  teaches  that  the  Eleff,  as  well  as  others, 
are  equally  under  Condemnation  and  the  Wrath  of  God,  yea, 
are  Children  of  Wrath  while  Unbelievers.  Job.  3.  18,36. 
Efb.  2.  3,  A&.  3.  19. 

Again,  While  they  confider  God  merely  under  the  Cha 
racter  of  a  Creditor •,  and  us  merely  as  Debtors,  and  Chrift  as 
paying  the  whole  Debt  of  the  Elect  •,  now  becaufe  Chrift 
obeyed  the  Law,  as  well  as  fuffered  it's  Penalty,  therefore 
they  feem  to  think,  that  Chrift  has  done  all  their  Duty,  fo 
as  that  now  they  have  none  to  do,  nothing  to  do  but  firmly 
to  believe  that  Chrift  has  done  all.  They  have  nothing  to 
do  with  the  Law^  no,  not  fo  much  as  to  be  their  Rule  to 

live 


and  diflinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  337 

live  by  •,  but  are  fet  at  full  Liberty  from  all  Obligations  to 
any  Duty  whatfoever. — Not  underftanding,  \h&\.  Chrift  garce 
himfelf,  to  redeem  bis  People  from  all  Iniquity  ,and  purify  them 
to  himjdf,  a  -peculiar  People  ^  'zealous  of  good  Works^  Tit.  2. 14. 
And  not  underftanding,that  our  natural  Obligations  to  per- 
fed:  Obedience  are  not  capable  of  being  diflblved.  Mat. 
5.  17.  And  not  underftanding,  that  our  Obligations  to  all 
holy  living,  are  mightily  increafed  by  the  Grace  of  the 
Gofpel.  Rem.  12.  i.  Indeed  they  feem  to  underftand  no 
thing  rightly,  but  to  view  every  thing  in  a  wrong  Light. 
And  inftead  of  confidering  Chrift  as  a  Friend  to  Holinefs, 
as  one  that  loves  Right  eoufnefs  and  hates  Iniquity  y  Heb.i.  9. 
they  make  him  a  Miniftcr  of  &'#,  Gal.  2.17.  and  turn  the 
Grace  of  God  into  Wantonnefs.  Ail  their  Notions  tend 
to  render  their  Confciences  inienfible  of  the  Evil  of  Sin,  to 
cherilh  fpi ritual  Pride  and  carnal  Security,  and  to  open  a 
Door  to  all  Ungodlinefs. 

SECTION     V. 

Shewing^  a  Door  of  Mercy  is  opened  by  Jefus 
Chrift  for  a  guilty  WORLD. 

I  come  now  to  another  Thing  propofed,   viz. 

III.  To  mew  more  particularly  what  a  W^ay  to  Life  has 
keen  opened,  by  what  Chrift  our  Mediator  has  done  &  fuffsred. 

In  general  •,  from  what  has  been  faid,  we  may  fee  that 
the  mighty  Bar  which  lay  in  the  Way  of  Mercy,  is  remov 
ed  by  Jefus  Chrift  :  and  now  a  Door  is  opened,  and  a  Way 
provided,  wherein  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  may, 
confiftent  with  the  Honour  of  his  Holinefs  and  Juftice,  his 
Law  and  Government  and  facred  Authority,  and  to  the 
Glory  of  his  Grace,  put  in  Execution  all  his  Defigns  of 
Mercy  towards  a  fmful,  guilty,  undone  World.  But  to  be 
more  particular, 

(i.)  A  Way  is  opened^  wherein  the  great  Governour  of  the 
World  may^  confiftent  with  his  Honour  and  to  the  Glory  of  his 
Grace,  par  don  and  receive  to  Favour  and  intitle  to  eternal  Life^ 
all  and  every  one  of  the  human  Race^  who  Jhall  cordiaify  fall 
in  with  the  Gofpel-Defign^  believe  in  Chrift ,  and  return  home  to 
God  thro'  him.  Z  What 


338       True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

What  Chrift  has  done  is  in  Fa6t  fufficient,  to  open  a  Door 
for  God  thro'  him  to  become  reconcilable  to  the  whole 
World*  The  Sufferings  of  Chrift,  all  Things  confidered, 
have  as  much  displayed  God's  hatred  of  Sin,  and  as  much 
fecured  the  Honour  of  his  Law,  as  if  the  whole  World 
had  been  damned  ;  as  none  will  deny,  who  believe  the  infi 
nite  Dignity  of  his  divine  Nature.  God  may  now  therefore 
thro'  Jefus  Chrift  ftand  ready  to  pardon  the  whole  World. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  Way. — And  the  Obedience  of  Chrift 
has  brought  as  much  Honour  to  God  and  to  his  Law,  as 
the  perfect  Obedience  of  Adam  and  of  all  his  Race  would 
have  done.  The  Rights  of  the  God- head  are  as  much 
afferted  and  maintained.  So  that  there  is  nothing  in  the 
Way,  but  that  Mankind  may,  thro'  Chrift,  be  received  in 
to  full  Favour,  and  intitled  to  eternal  Life.  God  may 
ftand  ready  to  do  it,  confident  with  his  Honour.  What 
Chrift  has  done  is  every  Way  fufficient.  Mat.  22.  4.  All 
^Things  are  How  ready. 

And  God  has  exprefly  declared,  that  it  was  the  'Defign 
of  Chrift's  Death,  to  open  this  Door  of  Mercy  to  all.  Joh. 
3.  1 6.  Godfo  loved  the  WORLD,  that  he  gave  his  only  be 
gotten  Son,  that  WHOSOEVER  believeth  in  him  Jhould  not 
perijh,  but  have  ever  lofting  Life.  That  whofoever  of  all  Man 
kind,  whether  Jew  or  Greek,  Bond  or  Free,  Rich  or  Poor, 
without  any  Exception,  tho'  the  Chief  of  Sinners,  that  be 
lieves,  Jhould  be  faved.  For  this£^,God  gave  his  only  be 
gotten  Son.  He  fet  him  forth  to  be  a  Propitiation  for  Sin, 
that  he  might  be  juft,  and  the  Juftifier  of  him  (  without 
any  Exception,  let  him  be  who  he  will, )  that  believeth  in 
Jefus.  Rom.  3.  25,26. 

Hence,  the  Apoftles  received  an  univerfal  Commifilon. 
Matt.  28.19.  Go,  teach  ALL  NATIONS.  Mar.  1 6.  15,16. 
Go  ye  into  ALL  the  World,  and  fr  each  theGofpelto  EVERT 
CREATURE.  Accordingly,the  Apoftles  proclaimed  the 
News  of  Pardon  and  Peace  to  every  one,  offered  Mercy  to 
all  without  Exception,  and  invited  all  without  Diftin&ion. 
He  that  believeth  Jhall  be  faved  :  Repent  and  be  Converted, 
that  your  Sins  may  be  blotted  out :  Were  Declarations  they 
imade  to  all,  in  general.  To  the  Jewijh  Nation  they  were 
fent  to  lay,  in  the  Name  of  the  King  of  Heaven,  I  have 

prepared 


and dijimgiiijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  339 

prepared  my  Dinner :  My  Oxen  and  my  Failings  are  killed,and 
all  Things  are  ready  :  Come  unto  the  Marriage.  Matt.  22.4. 
And  as  to  the  Gentile  Nations,  their  Orders  ran  thus,  Go  ye 
therefore  into  the  High -Ways,  and  as  many as ye  find \  bid  to  the 
Marriage.  /.  9.  To  the  Jewijh  Nation,  God  had  been  ufed 
to  fend  his  Servants 'the  Prophets,  in  the  Days  of  Old,  fay 
ing,  ^urnye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die  ?  Ezek.  33.  u.  Ho, 
every  one  that  thirtieth,  come.  Ifai.  55.  i.  Incline  your  Ear , 
and  come  unto  me  :  Hear,  and  your  Soul/hall  live.  ^.3.  And 
now  Orders  are  given,  that  the  whole  World  be  invited  to 
a  Reconciliation  to  God  thro'  Chriil.  Whofoever  will  let  him 
come,  and  he  that  cometh  /hall  in  no  wife  be  caft  out.  Thus, 
Chrifl  has  opened  a  Door ;  and  thus,  the  Great  Governour 
of  the  World  may,  confident  with  his  Honour,be  reconcil 
ed  to  any  that  believe  and  repent :  And  thus  he  actually 
Hands  ready. 

And  now  all  Things  being  thus  ready  on  God's  Side,  and 
the  Offers,  Invitations  and  Calls  of  the  Gofpei  being  to  e- 
very  one  without  Exception  ;  Hence,  it  is  attributed  toSin- 
ners  themfelves,  that  they  perifh  at  hft,  even,  to  their  own 
voluntary  Conduct.     Te  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might 
have  Life.  Joh.  5.  40.  And  they  are  confidered  as  being 
perfe&l^nexcufable.  Joh.  15.  22.  Now  they  have  no  Cloke 
for  their^in.     And  all  becaufe  a  Way  is  opened,  in  which 
they  might  be  delivered  from  Condemnation,  but  they  will 
not  comply  therewith.  Joh.  3.  19.  "This  is  the  Condemnation, 
that  Light  is  come  into  the  World,  and  Men  loved  Dark- 
nefs  rather  than  Light,  because  their  Deeds  were  Evil.     And 
therefore,  in  Scripture- Account,  they  ftand  expofed  to  a 
more  aggravated  Punilhment  in  the  World  to  come.  Matt. 
11.20 — 24.  Wo  unto  thee,  Chorazin,  Wo  unto  thee,  Beth- 
faida — &c.    And  thou  Capernaum,  which' art  exalted  unto 
Heaven,  Jhalt  be  brought  down  to  Hell :  &c.  It  flail  be  more 
tolerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidon  and  Sodom  in  the  Day  of  Judg 
ment,  than  for  thefe  Cities  :    Becaufe  they  repented  not. 

And  now  becaufe  the  Door  of  Mercy  is  thus  opened  to 
the  whole  World  by  the  Blood  of  Chrift,  therefore  in  Scrip 
ture  he  is  called,  the  Saviour  of  the  WORLD,  i  Joh.  4.  14. 
The  Lamb  of  God,  which  takes  away  the  Sin  of  the  WORLD, 
Joh,  1.29.  A  Propitiation  for  the  Sins  of  the  WHOLE 

Z  2  WORLD, 


$40       True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  IL 


I  Joh.  1.  1.  ?hat  gave  himfelfaRanfom  for  ALL. 
i  Tim.  2.  6.   And  t  aft  td  Death  for  EVERT  MAN.  Heb.  I 

2.  9.  The  plain  Senfe   of  all  which  Expreffions  may,   II 
think,  without  any  Danger  of  Miftake,  be  learnt  from  Joh,  I 

3.  1 6.  God  fo  loved  the  WORLD  ^  that  he  gave  his  only  be- 
gotten  Son,  that  WHOSOEVER  bclieveth  in  him,  Jhould  not 
Perijh,  biit  have  everlafting  Life.  *  And  indeed,  was  not  the 
Door  of  Mercy  opened  to  all  indefinitely,  how  could  God 
Jincerely  offerMercy  to  all  ?  Or  heartily  invite  all  ?  Qrjuftly 

blame  thofe  who  do  not  accept  ?  Or  righteoufly  punilh  them 
for  neglecting  fo  great  Salvation  ? 

Befides,  if  Chrift  died  merely  for  the  Elefl,  that  is,  to 
the  Intent,  that  they  only  upon  believing,  might,  confid 
ent  with  the  divine  Honour,  be  received  to  Favour  ;  then 
God  could  not,  confiftent  with  his  Juftice,  fave  any  befides, 
if  they  mould  believe.  For  without  Jhedding  of  Blood,  there 
can  be  no  Remiffion^  Heb.  9.  22.  If  Chrift  did  not  defign 
by  his  Death  to  open  a  Door  for  all  to  be  faved  conditio 
nally,  i.  e.  upon  the  Condition  of  Faith,  then  there  is  no 
fuch  Door  opened.  The  Door  is  not  opened  wider  than 
Chrift  defigned  it  fhould  be.  There  is  nothing  more  pur- 
chafed  by  his  Death,  than  he  intended.  If  this  Benefit  was 
not  intended,  then  it  is  not  procured.  If  it  be  not  pro 
cured,  then  the  Non-Ele6l  cannot  any  of  them  oe  faved, 
confiftent  with  divine  Juftice.  And  by  Confequence,if  this 

fee  the  Cafe,  then (i.)  The  Non-Eleft  have  no  Right  at 

alii  to  take  any  the  lea  ft  Encouragement,  from  the  Death  of 
Chrift  or  the  Invitations  of  the  Gofyel,  to  return  to  God  thro9 
Chrift  in  Hopes  of  Acceptance.  For  there  are  no  Grounds 

of 

*  "  I  am  ready  to  profefs,"  faysthefamousDo&orTwissE,  "  and  that, 
"  I  fuppofe,  as  out  oftheMouths  of  all  ourDivines,that  every  one  who 
*•  hears  theGofpel,  ( withoutDiftinftion  between  Elect  or  Reprobate) 
"  is  bound  to  believe  that  Chrift  died  for  him,  fo  far  as  to  procure  both 
**  the  Pardon  of  his  Sins  and  the  Salvation  of  his  Soul,  in  Cafe  he 
"  believes  and  repents."  Again,  "  As  Peter  could  hot  have  been  faved, 
f*  unlefs  he  had  believed  and  repented  ;  fo  Judas  might  have  been 
"  faved,  if  he  had  donefo."  Again,  "  Job.  3.  16.  gives  a  fair  Light 
"  of  Expofition  to  thofe  Places  where  Chrift  isfaid  to  have  died  for  the 
"  Situ  of  the  World,  yea.  of  the  whole  World,  to  wit,  in  thisMannef  that 
'*  <wbofoe<ver  belieijetb  in  him,  Jbould  not  Perijb,  but  have  werlajling 
"  Life?1—  Dr,  Twisss  on  the  Rides  of  GocTs  Low  fo  the  Veflel$  of 
Mtrcjt  &C, 


and  dijlmguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  3  4.  i 

of  Encouragement  given.  Chrift  did  not  die  for  them  in 
any  Senfe,  It  is  impoflible,  their  Sins  fhould  be  pardoned, 
confiftent  with  Juftice  :  as  much  impoflible  as  if  there  had 
never  been  a  Saviour,  as  if  Chrift  had  never  died.  And  fo 
there  is  no  Encouragement  at  all  for  them.  And  there ^ 
fore  it  would  be  Prefumption  in  them  to  take  any.  All 
which  is  apparently  contrary  to  the  whole  Tenor  of  the 
Gofpel,  which  every  where  invites  all,  and  gives  equal  En 
couragement  to  all.  Come,  for  all  Things  are  ready,  faid 
Chrift  to  the  reprobate  Jews,  Mat.  22.  4. —  And  if  the 
Non-Elect  have  no  Right  to  take  any  Encouragement  from 
the  Death  of  Chrift  and  the  Invitations  of  the  Gofpel,  to 
return  to  God  thro*  him  in  Hopes  of  Acceptance,  then — 
(2.)  No  Man  at  ally  can  rationally  take  any  Encouragement , 
until  he  knows  that  he  is  eletted.  Becaufe,  until  then,  he 
can't  know,  that  there  is  any  Ground  of  Encouragement. 
It  is  not  rational  to  take  Encouragement,  before  we  fee 
fufficient  Grounds  for  it  :  yea,  it  is  Prefumption  to  do  for 
But  no  Man  can  fee  fufficient  Grounds  of  Encouragement: 
to  truft  in  Chrift,  and  to  return  to  God  thro'  him,in  Hopes 
of  Acceptance  ;  unlefs  he  fees  that  God  may,  thro'  Chrift, 
confiftent  with  his  Plonour,  accept  and  fave  him,  and  is 
willing  fo  to  do.  If  God  can,  and  is  actually  willing  to  fave 
any  that  comes  ;  then  there  is  no  Objection.  I  may  come, 
and  any  may  come,  all  Things  are  ready,  there  is  Bread 
enough  md  to  fpare.  But  if  God  is  reconcilable  only  to  the 
Elect ;  then  I  may  not  come,  I  dare  not  come,  it  would  be 
Prefumption  to  come,  'till  I  know  that  I  am  elefted.  And 
how  can  I  know  that  P  Why,  not  by  any  Thing  in  all  the 
Bible.  While  anUnbeliever,  'tis  impoflible  I  fhould  know 
}t  by  any  Thing  in  Scripture  :  It  is  no  where  faid  in  exprefs 
Words,  that  I,  by  Name,  am  elected,  and  there  are  noRules 
of  Trial  laid  down  in  fuch  a  Cafe,  And  how  can  I  there 
fore  in  this  Cafe,  ever  know  that  I  am  elected,  but  by  an 
immediate  Revelation  from  Heaven  ?  And  how  mall  I 
know,  that  this  Revelation  is  true  ?  How  fhall  I  dare  to 
venture  my  Soul  upon  it  ?  The  Gofpel  does  not  teach  me 
to  look  for  any  fuch  Revelation,  nor  give  any  Marks  where 
by  I  may  know  when  it  is  from  God,  and  when  from  the 
Pcvil,  Thus,  an  invincible  Bar  is  Iai4  in  jnyWay  tQ  I<i:> 


342        *True  Religion  delineated       Dis,  JI. 

I  mull  know  that  I  am  one  of  theElect,  before  I  can  fee  any 
Encouragement  to  believe  in  Chriil  :  becaufe  none  but  the 
Elect  have  any  more  Bufmefs  to  do  fo,  than  the  Devils , 
JBut,  if  lam  one  of  the  Elect,  yet  it  is  impoflible  I  mould 
know  it,  'till  afterwards.- — —  Befides,  all  this  is  contrary 
to  the  whole  Tenor  of  the  Gpfpel  ;  Whofoever  will,  let  him 
come  ;  Who  fewer  comes,  foall  in  no  wife  be  caft  out  -y  Whofo- 
ever  believes,  Jhall  be  faved. —  And  contrary  to  the  Experi 
ence  of  all  true  Believers,  who  in  their  firft  Return  to  God 
thro'  Chrift,  always  take  all  their  Encouragement  from  the 
Gofpel,  and  lay  the  Weight  of  their  Souls  upon  the  Truth 
of  that,  and  venture  their  eternal  All  upon  thisBottom  ;  and 
riot  upon  the  Truth  of  any  new  Revelation.  They  ven 
ture  their  All  upon  the  Truths  already  revealed  in  the 
Gofpel,  and  not  upon  the  Truth  of  any  Proportion  not  re 
vealed  there. 

So  that  let  us  view  this  Point   in  what  Light  we   will, 

nothing  is  more  clear  and  certain,  than  that  Chrift   died, 

tbat  WHOSOEVER  believetb  in  him,  Jhould  not  perijh,  but 

have  everlafting  Life.     And  God  may  now  bejuft,  and  yet 

jtijlify  any  of  the  Race  of  Adam,t\ia.t  believe  in  Jefus.    And 

he  itands  ready  fo  to  do. And  thefc  Things   being 

true,  the  Servants,  upon  good  Grounds,  might,  in  their 
Mailer's  Name,  tell  the  obftinate  Jews,  who  did  not  belong 
to  the  Election  of  Grace,  and  who  finally  rcfufcd  to  hearken 
to  the  Calls  of  the  Gofpel,  Behold,  I  have  prepared  my  Din* 
ver :  my  Oxen  and  my  Failings  are  killed^  and  all  Things  are 
ready:  Come  unto  the  Marriage.  Mat.  22.  4.  And  if  they 
had  come,  they  would  have  been  heartily  welcome  :  The 
Provifion  made  was  fufficient,  and  the  Invitation  fincere  : 
Jefus  wept  over  them,  faying,  0  that  thou  hadft  known,  in 
(his  I  by  Day^  the  Things  'which  belong  to  thy  Peace  !  So  that 
there  was  nothing  to  hinder,  had  they  but  been  willing. 
But  it  fcems  they  were  other  wife  difpofed  ;  and  therefore 
Jbey  made  light  of  if,  and  went  their  Ways^  cm  to  his  Farm, 
Mother  to  his  Merchandife  •,  and  the  Remnant  took  his  Ser- 
vants,  and  entreated  them  f pit  ef idly ,  and  flew  them,  (^.5,  6.) 
And  in  this  Glafs  we  may  fee  the  very  Nature  of  all  Man 
kind,  and  how  all  would  actually  do,  if  not  prevented  by 
divine  Grace. — Juftly,  therefore*  at  the  Bay  of  Judgment? 

will 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  343 

will  this  be  the  Condemnation,  that  Light  is  come  into  the 
World)  but  Men  loved  Darknefs  rather  than  Light.  For 
certainly,  if  Mankind  are  fo  perverfely  bad,  that,  notwith- 
flanding  their  natural  Obligations  to  God,  and  the  Unrea- 
fonablenefs  of  their  original  Apoftacy,  they  will  yet  perfift 
in  their  Rebellion  ;  and  after  all  the  glorious  Provifion, 
and  kind  Invitations  of  the  Gofpel,  will  not  return  to  God 
thro'  Chrift  :  I  fay,  certainly,  God  is  not  obliged  to  come 
out  after  them,  and  by  his  all-conquering  Grace  irrefiftibly 
reclaim  them  :  but  may  juftly  let  every  Man  take  his  own 
Courfe,  and  run  his  own  Ruin.  And  an  aggravated  Dam 
nation  will  every  fuch  Perfon  deferve  in  the  comingWorld, 
for  neglecting  fo  great  Salvation,  Heb.  2.  2,  3. 

And  now,  if  Chrift's  Atonement  and  Merits  be  thus  fuf- 
ficient  for  all,  and  if  God  flands  ready  to  be  reconciled  to 
all,  and  if  all  are  invited  to  return  and  come  :  Hence  then, 
we  may  learn,  that  it  is  fafe  for  any  of  the  poor,  finful, 
guilty,  loft,  undone  Race  of  Adam  to  return  to  God  in  this 
Way.  They  ihall  furely  find  Acceptance  with  God.  They 
may  come  without  Money,  and  without  Frice ;  and  he  that 
cometh  Jhall  in  no  wife  be  caff  out. 

And  hence  we  may  fee,  upon  what  Grounds  it  is,  that 
the  poor,  convinced,  humbled  Sinner  is  encouraged  and 
emboldened  to  venture  his  All  upon  Chrift,  and  return  to 
God  thro'  him.  'Tis  becaufe  any  poor,  finful,  guilty,  Hell- 
deferving  Wretch  may  come  ;  any  in  the  World ;  the 
worft  in  the  World  -,  the  vileft,  and  moft  odious  and  def- 
picable  :  For  fuch  he  actually  takes  himfelf  to  be.  And 
if  he  did  not  fee  that  there  was  an  open  Door  for  fuch,  for 
any  fuch,  for  all  fuch,  he  would  doubt,  and  that  with  good 
Reafon  too,  whether  he  might  fafely  come.  But  when 
he  underftands  and  believes  the  Gofpel- Revelation,  and  fo 
is  allured  that  it  is  fafe  for  any,  for  all,  the  vileft  and  the 
worft ;  now  the  peculiar  Vilenefs  and  Unworthinefs  which 
he  fees  in  himfelf,  ceafes  to  be  an  Objection.  He  fees  it 
fafe  for  any,  and  therefore  for  him.  And  hence  takes 
Courage,  and  is  emboldened  to  venture  his  All,  upon  the 
free  Grace  of  God,  thro*  Jefus  Chrift  •*  and  fo  returns  in 

hopes  of  Acceptance.— Now,  does  this  poor  Sinner 

venture  upon  a  fafe  Foundation  ?  Or  does  he,  not  ?- — : 

Z  4  Hr. 


344          True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

He  takes  it  for  granted,  that  the  fupreme  Governour  of 
the  World  can,  confidently  with  his  Honour,  fhew  Mercy 
to  any  that  come  to  him  thro'  Chrift  •,  and  he  takes  it  for 
granted,  that  he  (lands  ready  to  do  fo,even  to  the  vileft  and 
worft  •,  that  the  Door  of  Mercy  ftands  wide  open  ;  and 
who fo  ever  will,  may  come :  And  upon  thefe  Principles,  he 
takes  Encouragement  to  return  to  God  in  hopes  of  Ac 
ceptance  :  and  from  a  Senfe  of  his  own  Wants,  and  of  the 
Glory  and  All-fuffkiency  of  the  divine  Nature,  of  the 
BlefTednefs  there  is  in  being  the  Lord's,  devoted  to  him 
and  living  upon  him,  he  does  return  with  all  his  Heart ; 
and  to  God  he  gives  himfelf,  to  be  for  ever  his  :  and  if  the 
Gofpel  be  true,  furely  he  mufl  be  fafe.  The  'Truth  of  the 
Gofpel  is  the  Foundation  of  all  •,  for  upon  that,  and  that 
only  he  builds  :  not  upon  Works  of  Righteoufnefs  which 
he  has  done,  not  upon  any  immediate  Revelation  of  Par 
don  or  the  Love  of  Chrift  to  him  in  particular  •,  but  merely 
Upon  Gofpel-Principles.  If  they  therefore  prove  true,  in 
the  coming  World  ;  then  will  he  receive  the  End  of  his 

Faith,  the  Salvation  of  his  Soul. But  to  return, 

Thus  we  fee  that  by  the  Death  of  Chrift,  there  is  a  wide 
Door  opened  for  divine  Mercy  to  exercife  and  difplay  it 
felf :  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World  may,  conliftent- 
ly  with  his  Honour,  now  feat  himfelf  upon  a  Throne  of 
Grace,  and  proclaim  the  News  of  Pardon  and  Peace  thro* 
a  guilty  World  ;  and  it  is  perfectly  fafe  for  any  of  the  guilty 

Race  of  Adam,  to  return  unto  him  thro*  Jefus  Chrift. 

And  now,  were  Mankind  in  a  Difpofition  to  be  heartily 
forry  for  their  Apoftacy  from  God,  and  difpofed  to  efteem 
it  their  indifpenfableDuty  and  higheft  Bleffednefs  to  return  ; 
were  this  the  Cafe,  the  joyful  News  of  a  Saviour  and  of 
Pardon  and  Peace  thro'  him,  would  fly  thro'  the  World 
like  Lightning,  and  every  Heart  would  be  melted  with 
Love  and  Sorrow  and  Gratitude  ;  and  all  the  Nations  of 
the  Earth  would  come,  and  fall  down  in  the  Duft  before 
the  Lord,  and  blefs  his  holy  Name,  and  devote  themfelves 
to  him  for  ever,  lamenting  in  the  Bitternefs  of  their  Hearts 
that  ever  they  did  break  away  from  their  Subjection  tofuch 
a  God.  And  were  Mankind  fenfible  of  their  finful,  guiltyv 
undone  liftatc  by  LAW,  and  difpofed  to  jiiftify  the  Law 

and 


anidiftinguijhekfrom  all  Counterfeits.    345 

and  condemn  themfelves ;  and  were  they  fenfible  of  the 
Holinefs  and  Juftice  of  the  great  Governour  of  the  World ; 
they  would  foon  fee  theirNeed  of  fuch  a  Mediator  as  Chrift 
Jeius,  and  foon  fee  the  wonderful  Grace  of  the  Gofpel,  and 
foon  fee  the  Glory  of  this  Way  of  Salvation,  and  fo  know 
it  to  be  from  God,  believe  it,  and  fall  in  with  it,  and  all 
the  World  would  repent  and  convert  of  their  own  Accord, 
and  fo  all  the  World  might  be  faved  without  any  more  to 
do. But  inftead  of  this,  fuch  is  the  Temper  of  Man 
kind,  that  there  is  not  one  in  the  World,  that,  of  his  own 
Accord,  is  difpofed  to  have  any  fuch  Regard  to  God,  or 
Sorrow  for  his  Apoftacy,  or  Inclination  to  repent  and  re 
turn  •,  nor  do  Men  once  imagine,  that  they  are  in  an  Eftate 
fo  wretched  and  undone,  and  Hand  in  fuch  a  perifhing  Need 
of  Chriil  and  free  Grace  -,  and  therefore  they  are  ready  to 
make  light  of  the  glad  Tidings  of  the  Gofpel,  and  go  their 
Ways,  one  to  his  Farm,  another  to  his  Merchandife  :  nor 
is  there  one  of  all  the  human  Race  difpofed,  of  his  own 
Accord,  to  lay  down  the  "Weapons  of  his  Rebellion,  and 
return  to  God  by  Jefus  Chrift.  So  that  all  will  come  to 
nothing,  and  not  one  be  ever  brought  home  to  God,  unlefs 
ibmething  farther  be  done ;  unlefs  fome  Methods,  and  Me 
thods  very  effectual,  be  ufed. 

But  that  God  fhould  come  out  after  fuch  an  apoftate 
Race,  who  without  any  Grounds  have  turned  Enemies  to 
him,  and  without  any  Reafon  refufe  to  be  reconciled,  and 
that  after  all  the  glorious  Provifion  and  kind  Invitations  of 
the  Gofpel  •,  that  God,  I  fay,  fhould  come  out  after  fuch, 
and  reclaim  them  by  his  own  fovereign  and  All-conquering 
Grace ;  might  feem  to  be  a  going  counter  to  theHolinefs  and 
Juftice  of  his  Nature,  and  to  tend  to  expofe  his  Law  and 
Government  &  facred  Authority  to  Contempt ;  in  as  much 
as  they  fo  eminently  deferve  to  be  confumed  by  the  Fire  of 
his  Wrath.  Therefore 

(2.)  Jefus  Chrift  did,  by  his  Obedience  and Death ,  open  fuch 
a  Door  of  Mercy  ,  as  that  the  fupr  erne  Governour  of  the  World 
might )  confidently  with  his  Honour,  take  what  Methods  he 
f  leafed,  in  order  to  recover  rebellious,  guilty,  Jlubborn  Sinners 
to  himfelf. 

That 


346     •    *Irue  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

That  he  might  take  what  Methods  he  pleafed,  I  fay ;  for 
he  knew  from  the  Days  of  Eternity,  how  Mankind  would 
be  difpofed  to  treat  him,  his  Son,  and  his  Grace  •,  and  he 
knew  from  Eternity,  what  Methods  he  intended  to  take  to 
reclaim  them  :  and  thefe  are  the  Methods  which  he  now 
fleafes  to  take -5  and  the  Methods,  yea,  the  only  Methods, 
which  he  actually  does  take.  So  that  it.  is  the  fame  Thing 
in  Effect  to  fay,  that  by  what  Chrift  has  done  and  fuffered, 
a  Door  is  opened,  for  the  MOST  HIGH,  confiftently  with 
his  Honour,  to  take  —  i .  What  Methods  he  actually 
does  take.  Or —  2.  What  Methods  he  fleafes.  Or 
— 3.  What  Methods  he  from  Eternity  intended.  For 
all  amount  to  juft  one  and  the  fame  Thing.  For  what 
pleafed  him  from  Eternity,  the  fame  pleafes  him  now  \ 
and  what  pleafes  him  now,  that  he  actually  does.  The 
infinite  Perfection  of  his  Nature  does  not  admit  of  any 
new  Apprehenfion,  or  Alteration  of  Judgment,  By  his  in- 
finiteUnderftanding,  he  always  had,  and  has,  and  will  have, 
a  compleat  View  of  all  Things  paft,  prefent,  and  to  come, 
at  once.  And  by  his  infinite  Wifdom  and  the  perfect  Rec 
titude  of  his  Nature,  he  unchangeably  fees  and  determines 
upon  that  Conduct  which  is  right  and  fit  and  bed.  For 
with  him  there  is  no  Variablenefs^  nor  Shadow  of  turning. 
Jam.  i.  17. 

Now,  that  what  Chrift  has  done  and  fuffered,  was  fuffi- 
cient  to  open  a  Way  for  the  honourable  Exercife  of  his  fo- 
vereign  Grace,  in  recovering  Sinners  to  himfelf,  is  evident 
from  what  has  been  heretofore  obferved.  And  .that  it  was 
defigned  for  this  End,  and  has  inFact  effectually  anfwered  it, 
is  plain  fromGod'sConduct  in  theAffair.  For  otherwife  he 
could  not,  confident  with  his  Honour  or  theHonour  of  his 
Law,  ufe  thofe  Means  to  reclaim  Sinners  which  he  actually 
does.  For  all  thofeMethods  of  Grace  would  elfe  be  contrary 
toLAW,which  does  not  allow  theSinner  to  have  anyFavour 
Ihewn  him  without  a  fufficientSecurity  to  thedivineHonour, 
as  has  been  before  proved.  TheLaw  therefore  has  been'Ta- 
tisfied  in  this  Refpect,  or  thefe  Favours  could  not  be  fhewn. 
For  Heaven  and  Earth  mall  fooner  pafs  away,  than  theLaw 
be  difregarded  in  any  one  Point.  It  follows  therefore,  that 
not  only  fpecial  and  faving  Ggrace,but  alfo  that  all  the  com- 

rnon. 


and  diftmguifoed from  all  Counterfeits.  347 

mon  Favours  which  Mankind  in  general  enjoy,  and  that  all 
the  Means  of  Grace  which  are  common  to  the  Elect  and 
Non-Eled:,  are  the  Effeds  of  Chrift's  Merits  :  All  were 
purchafed  by  him  •,  none  of  thefe  Things  could  have  been 
granted  to  Mankind,  but  for  him.  Chrift  has  opened  the 
Door,  and  an  infinite  fovereign  Goodnefs  has  ftrewed  thefe 
common  Mercies  round  the  World.  All  thofe  Particulars 
wherein  Mankind  are  treated  better  than  the  damned  in 
Hell,  are  over  and  above  what  mere  LAW  would  allow  of, 
and  therefore  are  the  Effects  of  Chrift'sMents  and  Gofpel- 
Grace.  And  for  this,  among  other  Reafons,  Chrift  is  called 
the  Saviour  of  the  World.  And  hence  alfo  God  is  faid  to  be 
reconciling  the  World  to  himfelf,  not  imputing  their  'TrefpafJ'es 
unto  them,  2  Cor.  5.  19.  Becaufe  for  the  prefent  their  Pu- 
nimment  is  fufpended,  and  they  are  treated  in  a  Way  of 
Mercy,  are  invited  to  Repentance,  and  have  the  Offers  of 
Pardon  and  Peace  and  eternal  Life  made  unto  them. 
Hence,  I  fay,  God  is  faid  not  to  impute  their  Sins  unto  them  : 
Agreeable  with  that  parallel  Place  in  Pfal.  78.  38.  where 
God  is  faid  to  forgive  the  Iniquity  of  his  People,  becaufe  he 
deftroyed  them  not. 

Upon  the  whole  then,  this  feems  to  be  the  true  State  of 
the  Cafe.  God  is  thro'  Chrift  ready  to  be  reconciled  to  all 
and  every  one,  that  will  repent  and  return  unto  him  thro' 
Jefus  Chrift.  He  fends  the  News  of  Pardon  and  Peace 
around  a  guilty  World  and  invites  every  one  to  come,  fay 
ing,  He  that  believeth^  Jhall  be  faved  ;  and  he  that  believeth 
notifnall  be  damned.  And  on  this  Account  it  is  faid,  that 
He  will  have  all  Men  to  be  faved^  and  is  not  willing  that 
any  Jhould perijh  :  becaufe  he  offers  Salvation  to  all, and  ufes 
Arguments  to  difTuade  them  from  Perdition. —  But  in  as 
much  as  Mankind  will  not  hearken,  but  are  obftinately  fet 
in  their  Way  -,  therefore  he  takes  State  upon  himfelf,  and 
fays,  /  will  have  Mercy  on  whom  I  will  have  Mercy.  And  a 
fmful,  guilty  \Yorld  are  in  his  Hands,  and  he  may  ufe  what 
Methods  of  Grace  with  all  that  he  pleafes  :  Some,  he  may 
fuffer  to  take  their  own  Way,  and  run  their  own  Ruin,  if 
he  pleafes ;  and  others,  he  may  fubdue  and  recover  to  him 
felf,  by  his  own  all- conquering  Grace. 

And  unto  a  certain  Number,  from  Eternity,  he  intended 

to 


348          True  Religion  delineated      Dis,  II. 

to  fhew  this  fpecial  Mercy.  And  thefe  are  faid  to  be  given 
to  Chrift,  Job.  6.  37.  And  with  a  fpecial  Eye  to  thefe 
Sheep  did  he  lay  down  his  Life,  Joh.  10.  15.  His  Fa 
ther  intending,  and  he  intending,  that  they,  in  Spight  of 
all  Oppofition,  fhould  be  brought  to  eternal  Life  at  laft. 
And  hence  the  Elect  do  always  obtain.  Rom.  11.7,  compared 
with  Joh.  6.  37. — And  here  we  may  learn  how  to  under- 
ftand  thofe  Places  of  Scripture,  which  feem  to  limitChrift's 
Undertaking  to  a  certain  Number.  Mat.  1.21.  Thoujhdt 
call  hisName  Jefus  -9  becaufe  be  flail  five  HIS  PEOPLE  from 
their  Sins.  Eph.  5.  23.  He  is  the  Head  of  the  CHURCH  $ 
and  he  is  the  Saviour  of  the  BODT.  Ver.  25.  Chrifl  loved 
the  CHURCH,  and  gave  himfelf  FOR  FT.  Aft.  20.  28. 
He  hath  purcbafed  HIS  CHURCH  with  his  own  Blood. 
Joh.  10.  15.  I  lay  down  my  Life  for  the  SHEEP. — *  There 
were  a  certain  Number, which  the  Father  ar\d  the  Son  from 
all  Eternity  defigned  for  Veffels  of  Mercy,  to  bring  to  Glory, 
Rom.  9.  23.  With  a  View  to  thefe  it  was  promifed  in  the 
Covenant  of  Redemption.,  that  Chrift  fhould  fee  of  the  Travel 
of  his  Soul,  Ifai,  53.1 1.  And  Chrift  fays  in  1011.6.37,38,39. 
AH  that  theFather  giveth  me,Jhall  come  to  me  •,  and  him  that 
cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  no  wife  caft  out.  For  1  came  down 
from  Heaven?  not  to  do  my  own  Will  •,  but  the  Will  of  him 
that  fent  me.  And  this  is  the  Father's  Will,  which  hath  fent 
me,  that  of  all  which  he  hath  given  me  I  Jhould  lofe  nothing , 
tut  Jhould  raife  it  up  again  at  the  laft  Day.  See  alfo  'Tit. 
2.  14.  Rev.  5.  9,  10.  Eph,  i.  4,  5,  6. 

Thus  Chrift's  Merits  are  fufficient  for  all  the  World,  and 
the  Door  of  Mercy  is  opened  wide  enough  for  all  the 
World,  and  God  the  fupreme  Governour  has  proclaimed 
himfelf  reconcilable  to  all  the  World,  if  they  will  believe 
and  repent.  And  if  they  will  not  believe  and  repent,  he  is 
at  Liberty  to  have  Mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  Mercy, 
and  to  ihew  Compafiion  to  whom  he  will  mew  Companion ; 
according  to  the  good  Pleafure  of  his  Will,  to  the  Praife  of 
the  Glory  of  his  Grace.  He  fits  SOVEREIGN,  and  a 
rebellious,  guilty  World  are  in  his  Hands,  and  at  his  Di£- 
pofe,  and  the  Thing  that  feems  good  in  his  Sight,  that  he 
will  do.  And  it  is  infinitely  fit,  right,  and  beft  he  fhould  ; 
that  the  Pride  of  all  Flefli  may  be  brought  low,  &  the  Lord 
alone  be  exalted  for  ever.  And 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  349 

And  as  this  View  of  Things  feems  exactly  to  harmonize 
with  the  whole  Tenor  of  the  Gofpel  in  general,  and  to 
agree  with  the  various  particular  Reprefentations  of  our 
Redemption  by  Chrift  ;  and  to  reconcile  thofeTexts  which 
leem  to  fpeak  of  a  univerfal  Redemption^  with  thofe  which 
ieem  to  fpeak  of  ^particular  Redemption  ;  fo  it  will  naturally 
fuggeft  an  eafy  Anfwtr  to  any  Objections  which  may  be 
made  againft  it. 

OBJ.  i.  If  Chrift  has  fuffcred  the  Penalty  of  the  Law^not 
only  for  the  Eleff,  but  alfo  for  the  Non-Ele£f  ;  how  can  it  be 
juft,  that  they  themfelves  Jhould  be  made  to  fitffer  it  over  again 
for  ever  in  Hell  ? 

ANS.  Becaufe  Chrift  did  not  die  with  a  Defign  to  releafe 
them  from  their  deferved  Punifhment,  but  only  upon 
Condition  of  Faith.  And  fo  they  have  no  Right  to  the 
Releafe,  but  upon  that  Condition.  'Tis  as  juft  therefore 
they  mould  be  punifhed,  as  if  Chrift  had  never  died ; 
fmce  they  continue  obftinate  to  the  laft.  And  'tis  juft  too 
they  mould  have  an  aggravated  Damnation, for  refufing  to 
return  to  God,  defpifing  the  Offers  of  Mercy,  and  neglect 
ing  fo  great  Salvation.  John.  1 6 — 19. 

OBJ.  2.  If  Chrift  obeyed  the  preceptive  Part  of 'the  Law ',  not 
only  for  the  EletJ^  but  alfo  for  the  Non-Eleff  ;  why  are  not 
all  brought  to  eternal  Life9  fince  eternal  Life  is  by  Law  pro- 
mifed  to  perfect  Obedience  ? 

ANS.  Becaufe  Chrift  did  not  purchafe  eternal  Life  for 
them,  but  upon  the  Condition  of  Faith  :  But  they  would 
not  come  to  Chrift,  that  they  might  have  Life  :  and  there 
fore  they  juft  lyperifh.  Job.  3.  1 6 — 19. 

OBJ.  3 .  But  for  what  Purpofe  did  Chrift  die  for  thofe^  who 
were  in  Hell  a  long  Time  before  his  Death  ? 

ANS.  And  to  what  Purpofe  did  he  die  for  thofe,  who 
were  in  Heaven  a  longTime  before  his  Death  ?  The  Truth 
is,  that  when  Chrift  laid  down  his  Life,  a  Ranfom  for  all, 
he  only  accomplifhed  what  he  undertook  at  the  Beginning. 
Chrift  actually  interpofed  as  Mediator  immediately  upon 
the  Fall  of  Man,  and  undertook  to  fecure  the  divine  Ho 
nour  by  obeying  and  fuffcring  in  the  Room  of  a  guilty 
World  :  and  therefore  thro'  him  God  did  offer  Mercy  to 

Cain 


3  50          True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

'  Cain  as  well  as  to  Abel,  and  fliew  common  Favours  to  the 

"World  in  general,  as  well  as  grant  fpecial  Grace  to  the  E- 

.lect ;    and  thac  before  his  Death,   as  well  as  firice.     Surely 

none  will  deny,  that  all  the  Favours  which  Mankind  did 

enjoy  prior  to  Chrift's  Death,  were  by  Virtue  of  his  Under- 

-  taking  to  be  Mediator,  and  engaging  to  fecure  the  divine 

Honour  •,  for  upon  any  other  Foot>  the  Governour  of  the 

World  couid  not  have  granted  fuch  Favours  confiftently 

with  his  Honour. 

OBJ.  4.  But  if  Chrift  died  for  all,  then  he  died  in  vain, 
fince  all  are  not  faved. 

ANS.  The  next  and  immediate  End  of  Chrift's  Death 
.was  to  anfwer  the  Ends  of  moral  Government,  and  fo  fecure 
the  Honour  of  the  moral  Governour,  and  open  a  Way  in 
which  he  might  honourably  declare  himfelf  reconcilable  to 
a  guilty  World  upon  their  returning  thro'  Chrift,  and  ufe 
Means  to  reclaim  them  ;  but  this  End  Chrift  did  obtain  : 
and  fo  did  not  die  in  vain.  Job.  3.  16.  Rom.  3.  24,  25,  26. 
And  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World  will  now  thro' 
Chrift  accpmpliih  all  the  Defigns  of  his  Heart,  to  the  ever- 
lafting  Honour  of  his  great  Name. 

OBJ.  5.  But  why  would  God  have  a  Door  opened^  that  he 
mighty  confident  with  his  Honour ',  offer  to  be  reconciled  to  all 
that  will  return  to  him  thro"  Chrift ',  when  he  knew  that  the 
Non-Eleft  would  never  return  ?  And  why  would  he  have  aDoor 
opened  that  he  might  ufe  Means  with  them,  when  he  knew^  all 
would  be  in  vain,  unlefs  he  himfelf  recovered  them  by  his  All- 
conquering  Grace^  which  yet  he  never  defigned  to  do  ? 

ANS.  God  defigned  to  put  an  apoftate  World  into  a 
oew  State  of  Probation.  Mankind  were  in  a  State  of  Pro 
bation  in  Adam  their  pub-lick  Head,  and  we  all  finned  in 
him  and  fell  with  him  in  his  firft  Tranfgreflion.  But  God 
defigned  to  try  the  Pofterity  of  Adam  anew,  and  fee  whether 
they,  would  be  forry  for  their  Apoftacy,  or  choofe  to  conti 
nue  in  their  Rebellion.  He  would  tender  Mercy,  and  offer 
to  be  reconciled,  and  call  them  to  return,  and  ufeArguments 
and  Motives,  and  promife  and  threaten ;  and  try  and  fee 
what  they  would  do.  He  knew,Mankind  would  be  ready 
to  deny  their  Apoftacy,  and  plead  that  they  were  not  Ene 
mies  to  God,  and  think  themfelves  very  good  natured ; 

and 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  351 

and  would  take  it  exceeding  hard  not  to  be  believed  : 
therefore  he  determined  to  try  them,  and  fee  what  they 
would  do  ;  and  make  publick  Declaration  thro'  the  World 
that  finally  he  would  judge  every  Man  according  to  his 
Works,  and  deal  with  them  according  to  their  Conduct. 
And  in  the  mean  Time,  that  his  Honour  might  be  fecured, 
he  appoints  his  Son  to  be  Mediator  ;  and  fo  thro'  him  pro 
claims  the  News  of  Pardon  and  Peace,and  enters  upon  the 
ufe  of  Means.  And  now,  if  you  afk  me,  "  Why  does  he 
"  do  all  this,  when  he  knows,  it  will  be  in  vain  as  to  the 
)  who  will  never  come  to  Repentance  ?" 
His  knowing  that  all  will  in  the  Event  prove 
ineffectual  to  bring  them  to  Repentance,  is  no  Objection 
againft  his  ufmg  the  Means  he  does.  For  God  does  not 
make  hisForeknowledge  of  Events  theRule  of  his  Conduct; 

but  the  Reafon  &  Fitnefs  of  Things. You  may  as  well 

inquire,  "  Why  did  God  raife  up  Noah  to  be  a  Preacher 
"  ofRighteoufnefs  to  the  old  World  for  the  Space  of  an 
"  Hundred  and  twenty  Years,  when  he  knew  they  would 
"  never  come  to  Repentance  ?  And  why  did  he  fend  all 
"  his  Servants  the  Prophets  to  the  Children  of  Ifrael^  ri- 
"  fmg  early  and  fending,  and  by  them  command  &  call, 
"  entreat  and  ex.poftul.ate,  promife  and  threaten,  and  fay, 
"  As  1  live*  faith  the  Lord  God,  I  delight  not  in  the  Death  of 
"  the  Sinner  :  turn  ye^  turn  ye^  why  will  ye  die!  when:  he 
"  knew,  they  would  never  come  to  Repentance  ?  And 
'*  why  did  he  afterwards  fend  his  Son  to  the  fame  obftinate 
"  People,  when  he  knew  they  would  be  fo  far  from  hear- 
"  kening,  as  that  they  would  rather  put  him  to  Death  ?" 
Now,  if  you  afk  me,  why  the  great  Governour  of  the 
World  ufes  fuch  Means  with  the  Non-Elect,  and  mews  fo 
much  Goodnefs,  Patience,  Forbearance  and  Long-fuffering, 
inftead  of  fending  all  immediately  to  defervedDeftruction  ? 
/  Anfwer,  it  is  to  try  them  ;  and  to  mew,  that  he  is  the 
Lord  God)  graciqus  and  merciful^  Jlow  to  Anger  and  abundant 
in  Goodnefs.  'Tis  fit,  Creatures  in  a  State  of  Probation 
fhould  be  tried,  and  he  loves  to  act  like  himfelf ;  and  he 
means  in  and  by  his  Conduct  to  do  both  at  once.  And 
after  obitiriate  Sinners  have  long  abufed  that  Goodnefs  and 

led  tbein  to  Repentance  \.  and 
have 


352        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  II. 

have  after  their  own  bard  and  impenitent  Hearts^  been  trea- 
furing  tip  Wrath  again  ft  the  Day  of  Wrath,  the  Righteouf- 
nefs  of  God's  Judgment  in  their  eternal  Deftrudion  will  be 
moil  manifeit.  And  what  if  God  was  determined  not  to 
reclaimRebels  voluntarily  fo  obftinate,  by  his  All-conquer 
ing  Grace,  but  let  them  take  their  Courie,  feeing  they 
were  fo  fet  in  their  Way  ?  What  then  ?  Was  he  not  at 
Liberty  ?  Was  he  bound  to  fave  them  all  by  Exertion  of 
his  Almightinefs  ?  Might  he  not  have  Mercy  on  whom  he 
would  ?  And  after  fuch  Long- fuffer  ing,  might  he  notjheiv 
his  Wrath  and  make  his  Power  known  in  the  eternal  De- 
ftruftion  of  thofe  who  fo  juftly  deferved  it  ?  God's  iaft 
End,  no  Doubt,  is  to  manifeft  his  Perfections  :  and  in  and 
by  his  whole  Conduct  towards  a  fallen  World,  they  will 
all  be  moil  illuitrioufly  difplayed.  Rom.  n.  36. 

OBJ.  6.  But  conjider ing  that  theNon-Eleft  are, after  all, un 
der  an  absolute  Impojfibility  to  believe  and  repent  Convert  and  be 
faved  ;  and  ccnfidsring  that  all  common  Mercies  and  Means  of 
Grace  will  only  render  them  the  mere  inexcufable  in  the  End, 
and  fo  aggravate  their  Guilt  and  Damnation  :  therefore  all 
Things  confidered,  what  feeming  Gocd  they  enjoy  in  this  World  * 
is  not  of  the  Nature  of  a  MERCT:  it  would  be  better  for  them 
to  be  without  it ;  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  will  be  better  of  it 
in  the  Day  of  Judgment  than  Chorazin  and  Bethfaida  :  * 
and  therefore  there  is  no  Need  tofuppofe,  that  any  Thing  which 
the  Non-Elett  enjoy  in  this  World,  is  the  Effeft  of  Chri/s 
Merits,  but  only  of  divine  Sovereignty. 

ANS.  What  do  you  mean  by  being  under  anabfolute  1m- 
pojjibility  to  believe  and  repent,  convert  6?  be  faved  ?  Ufmg 
Words  without  determinate  Ideas  is  one  principal  Thing 
which  bewilders  the  World  aboutMatters  of  Religion.  Now 

will 

*  It  may  be  proper  juft  to  hint  the  grofs  Abfurdities  implied  in  this 
Objection. — If  the  Non-Elect  were  under  an  abfolute  (/.  /.  not  6nly 
a  moral,  but  natural)  Impoffibility  to  turn  to  God,  they  would  not  be 
proper  Subjeds  to  ufe  any  Means  with.  And  if  their  common  Fa 
vours  and  Means  of  Grace  were  not  of  the  Nature  of  Mercies,  they 
could  not  aggravate  their  Guilt.  And  if  it  was  not  their  own  Fault, 
that  they  did  not  repent  under  the  Enjoyment  of  Means,  they  would 
not  be  to  Blame,  nor  deferve  to  be  pumlhed,  for  not  repenting.  — 
Men  ftumjble  into  fuchAbfurdities  by  ufingWords  without  determinate 
Ideas. 


a nd  diftinguijhed from  allCounterfeits.  353 

in  phinEnglt/k,all  Things  are  ready,  and  they  are  invited  to 
come,  and  there  is  nothing  in  the  Way  of  their  being  faved ; 
but — they  be  not  forry  for  their  Apoftacy  from  God,  nor 
will  be  brought  to  it  by  all  the  Means  God  ufes  with  them : 
they  have  not  a  Mind  to  return  to  God,  nor  will  they  be 
perfwaded  by  all  the  moft  powerful  Arguments  that  can  be 
ufed  :  they  are  voluntary  Enemies  to  God,  and  will  not  be 
reconciled,  unlefs  by  an  almighty  Power  and  All-conquer 
ing  Grace,  which  God  is  not  obliged  to  give,  and  they  are 
infinitely  unworthy  of,  and  without  which,  they  might  re 
turn,  were  they  but  of  fuch  a  Temper  as  they  ought  to  be  : 
they  are  under  no  Inability,  but  what  confifts  in  and  re- 
fults  from  their  want  of  a  good  Temper  of  Mind,  and  their 
voluntary  Obftinacy  :  Sin  has  no  Power  over  Men,  but  as 
they  are  inclined  to  it  ;  and  the  Inclinations  of  the  Heart 
are  always  voluntary  and  unforced.  Men  love  to  be  in 
clined  as  they  are  •,  for  otherwife  their  Inclinations  would 
be  fo  far  from  having  any  Power  over  them,  that  they 
would  even  ceafe  to  be. — Now  certainly  the  bringing  up  of 
the  Children  of  Ifrael  out  of  Egypt  was  of  the  Nature  of 
a  Mercy,  and  a  great  Mercy  too  indeed  it  was,  notwithftand- 
ing  that  thro'  their  Unbelief  and  Perverfenefs  they  never 
got  to  Canaan.  The  Thing,  in  itfelf,  was  as  great  a  Mercy 
to  the  Body  of  that  Generation,  as  it  was  to  Caleb  &  Jojhua* 
And  their  bad  Temper  and  bad  Conduct, which  prevented 
their  ever  coming  to  the  promifed  Land,  did  not  alter  the 
Nature  of  the  Thing  at  all,  nor  lerTen  their  Obligations  to 
Gratitude  to  God  their  mighty  Deliverer.  And  yet,  all 
Things  confidered,  it  had  been  better  for  them  to  have  died 
iti  their£p^//tf»Bondage,than  to  havehad  their  Carcafes  fall 
in  the  Wildernefs.  in  fuch  an  awful  Manner. — And  befides, 
it  is  evident,that  the  Scriptures  do  look  upon  the  common 
Favours  and  Means  of  Grace,  which  the  Non-Elect  enjoy, 
under  the  Notion  of  Mercies  \  and  (which  otherwife  could 
not  be)  on  this  very  Ground  their  Guilt  is  aggravated, and 
they  rendered  inexcufable,  and  worthy  of  a  more  fore  Pu- 
nifhmcnt  in  the  World  to  come.  Joh.^.i6 — 19.  And,  15, 
22,  24.  Rom.  2.  4,  5.  Heb.  2.  2,3.  —  And  if  they  are  of 
the  Nature  of  Mercies,  then  they  are  the  Effects  of  Chrift's 
Merits,  as  Jias  been  already  proved, 

A  a  And 


354         True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

And  hence  by  the  Way,  we  may  fee  the  Reafon  why  the 
Love  and  Goodnefs  of  God  in  bringing  up  the  Children  of  ] 
Ifrael  out  of  Egypt,  is  fo  mightily  fet  forth  in  the  oldTefta- 
ment,  notwithstanding  the  Body  of  that  Generation  periih- 
ed  in  the  Wildernefs  :  and  why  the  Love  and  Goodnefs  of 
God  in  giving  his  Son  to  die  for  the  World,  is  fo  mightily 
fet  forth  in  the  New-Teftament,  notwithftanding  Multi 
tudes  of  Mankind  perifh  for  ever  :  viz.  It  was  the  Ifraelites  \ 
ownFault,  they  perifhed  in  the  Wildernefs,  and  fo  it  isSinners 
own  Fault  that  they  perifh  for  ever.  Job.  3.19.  and  5,  40. 
And  did  they  feel  it  at  Heart,it  would  effectually  ftop  their 
Mouths.  For  this  is  an  undoubted  Maxim,  that  theKind- 
nefTes  of  God  to  a  rebellious  perverfe  World  are  not  in 
themfelves  e'er  the  lefs  Mercies,  becaufe  Mankind  abufe 
them  to  their  greater  Ruin.  The  KindnefTes  are  in  them 
felves  the  fame,  whether  we  make  a  good  Improvement  of 
them,  or  no.  They  are  juft  the  fame,  and  fo  juft  as  great, 
let  our  Conduct  be  what  it  will.  It  was  a  great  Mercy  to 
the  Ifraelites  to  be  delivered  out  of  Egypt -,  it  was  a  wonder 
ful  Exprefiion  of  divine  Goodnefs  :  and  hence  'tis  faid  in 
Hot  1 1.  i.  When  Ifrael  was  a  Child,  then  I  LOVED  him, 
and  called  my  Son  out  of  Egypt.  (And  a  like  Exprefiion  we 
have  in  Deut.  10.  18.  God  LOVEfH  the  Stranger,  in  giv 
ing  him  Food  and  Raiment.}  And  on  the  fame  Ground  'tis 
faid  in  Joh.  3.  16.  Godfo  LOVED  the  World  &c.  becaufe 
the  Gift  of  Chrift  to  die  for  the  World  was  an  infinite  Ex- 
preffion  of  divineGoodnefs.  And  if  Mankind  do  generally 
abufe  this  Goodnefs,  as  the  Ifraelites  generally  did  all  God's 
Kindneffes  to  them,  yet  ftill  the  Goodnefs  itfelf  is  juft  the 
fame.  A  dreadful  Thing  therefore  it  is  for  the  Non-Elect, 
even  as  aggravated  a  Piece  of  Wickednefs  in  them  as  it 
would  be  in  any  Body  elfe,  to  tread  under  Foot  the  Blood 
of  the  Son  of  God,  and  make  light  of  all  the  Offers  of 
Mercy,  and  neglect  fo  great  Salvation.  And  this  above 
all  other  Things  will  be  their  Condemnation  in  the  coming 
World.  Joh.  3.  19.  Never  are  the  Jews  at  all  excufed,  any 
where  in  the  New-Teftament,  in  their  flighting  the  Offers 
of  Mercy  by  Chrift,  on  this  Account,  that  they  were  not 
of  the  Elect.  And  indeed  the  Offers  were  fincere,  and  it 
was  intirely  their  own  Fault  that  they  did  not  accept,  and 

they 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   355 

they    deferved    to   be    treated    accordingly  :    Mat.  22. 

OBJ.  7.  But  ifGodfo  loved  the  World*  the  WHOLE 
WORLD ^  as  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son  to  die  for  them,  in 
the  Senfe  explained  ;  why  does  he  not  go  thro\  and  perfect  the 
Work,  andfave  the  WHOLE  WORLD  ?  according  to  that 
in  Rom.  8.  32.  He  that  fpared  not  his  own  Son,  but  deli 
vered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  ftiall  he  not  with  him  alfo 
freely  give  us  all  Things  ? 

ANS.  i.  And  why  did  not  the  King  in  Matth.  22.  who 
had  made  a  Marriage  for  his  Son,  and  fent  his  Servants  to 
fay  to  them  that  were  bidden,  /  have  prepared  my  Dinner  ; 
my  Oxen  and  my  Fatlings  are  killed,  and  all  Things  are  ready : 
Come  unto  theMarriage :  Why  did  nottheKing,  I  fay,  when 
they  refufed,  Compel  them  to  ccme  in  ?  Since  he  had  done 
fo  much,  why  did  not  he  go  thro',  and  finim  the  Work  ? 
And  this  is  directly  to  the  Point  in  Hand,  becaufe  this  Pa 
rable  is  defigned  to  reprefent  that  full  Provifion  which  is 
made  for  the  Salvation  of  Sinners  by  the  Death  of  Chrift ; 
and  it  proves  that  the  Objection  has  no  Force  in  it. 
But  farther, 

2.  Take  your  Bible  and  read  from  the  28th  Verfe  to 
the  end  of  that  8th  Chapter  of  Romans,  and  you  will  fee 
what  the  Apoftle's  Defign  is,  thro'  his  whole  Difcourfe. 
"  We  know,"  fays  he,  "  that  all  Things  work  together 
"  for  Good  to  them  that  love  God,  to  them  who  are  called 
"  according  to  his  Purpofe.  But  how  do  we  know  it  ? 
"  Why,  becaufe  God  is  fully  determined  to  bring  them  to 
"  Glory  at  laft.  For  whom  he  did  foreknow,  he  alfo  did 
"  predeftinate ;  and  whom  he  did  predeftinate,  them  he 
"  alfo  called,  and  them  he  juftified,  and  them  he  glorified. 
<c  And  God  was  fo  fully  determined  to  bring  them  to 
"  Glory,  and  fo  much  engaged  in  the  Thing,  that  he 
"  fpared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all ; 
"  i.e.  US,  who  love  God  and  are  his  electPeople."  (For  it 
is  of  thefe  and  thefe  only  that  he  here  is  fpeaking.)  "  And 
"  fmce  he  was  fo  much  engaged  as  to  do  this,  we  may  de*< 
"  pend  upon  it  that  he  will  alfo  freely  give  us  all  Things  ; 
"  /.  e.  US,  who  love  God  and  are  his  elect  People,  So 
*c  that  never  any  Thing  mall  hinder  our  being  finally 

A  a  2  «'  brought 


356        True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

'•  brought  to  Glory,  or  feparate  us  from  the  Love  of  God, 
"  neither  Tribulation,  nor  Perfecution,  nor  Diftrefs,  nor 
"  any  Thing  elfe."  So  that  this  is  theApoftle'sArgument : 
SinceGod  was  fo  much  engaged  to  bring  them  toGlory  who 
loved  God  and  were  his  eledt  People,  as  that  he  had  given 
his  own  Son  to  die  for  that.  End  •,  they  therefore  might  have 
the  ftrongeft  AfTurance,  that  he  would  do  every  Thing  elfe 
which  would  be  needful  effectually  to  bring  it  about.  * 

But  God  never  defigned  to  bring  the  Non-Elect  to  Glory, 
when  he  gave  his  Son  to  die  for  the  World.  He  deligned 
to  declare  himfelf  reconcilable  to  them  thro*  Chrift,to  offer 
Mercy,  to  invite  them  in  common  with  others  to  return, 
and  to  affure  all  that  he  that  believeth  Jhall  be  faved,  and  to 
ufe  Means  with  them  more  or  lefs  according  to  his  Plea- 
fure  •,  but  finally,  they  being  obftinate,  he  defigned  to 
leave  them  to  themfelves,  to  take  their  own  Courfe  ;  and  in 
the  End  to  deal  with  them  according  to  their  Deferts.  Mat. 
23.  37,  38.  and  22.  i — 7.  And  this  being  the  Cafe,  the 
Objection  from  the  Apoftle's  Words  is  evidently  groundlefs. 

As  to  the  Opinion  of  the  Arminians^  that  God  equally 
defigned  Salvation  for  all  Men,  purpofmg  to  offer  Salvation 
to  all,  and  ufe  Means  with  all,  and  leave  all  to  their  own 
Free-Will,  and  fave  thofe  and  thofe  only, who  of  their  own 
Accord  will  become  good  Men  •,  as  for  this  Opinion,  I  fay, 
1  think  they  never  learnt  it  from  the  Bible  :  But  rather, 
they  feem  to  have  been  led  into  it,  from  a.  Notion  that 
Mankind  are  fo  good  natured,  that  all  might,  and  that  at 
leaft  fome  actually  would,  under  the  Enjoyment  of  the 
common  Means  of  Grace,  become  good  Men,  of  their  own 
Accord,  /.  e.  without  any  fuch  Thing  as  fpecial  Grace. 
Convince  them  that  this  is  an  Error,  and  they  will  foon 

give 

*  If  vye  leave  God's  Defign  out  of  the  Apoftle's  Argument,  I  cannot 
fee  that  his  Reaibning  would  be  conclufive  ;  any  more  than  a  like 
Argument  would  have  been  conclufive,  if  we  mould  fuppofe  Mofes 
to  have  ufed  it  with  the  Ifraelites  at  the  Side  of  the  red  Sea.  "  Since 
"  God  has  now  brought  you  all  out  of  Egypt,  and  thus  divided  the 
"  red  Sea  before  you,  and  drowned  your  Enemies ;  therefore  he  will 
"now  without  fail  bring  you  All  to  the  promifed  Land."  Which  Rea- 
foning  would  not  have  been  conclufive  ;  for  the  Body  of  that  Gene 
ration  died  in  the  Wildernefs,  and  that  in  a  very  awful  Manner,  not- 
tt  -ithftanding  this  glorious  Deliverance, 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  357 

give  up  their  Scheme,  and  acknowledge  the  Need  of  fove- 
reign  Grace,  and  fee  the  Reafonablenefs  and  Truth  of  the 
Doctrine  of  Election. Or  rather,  I  may  fay,  con 
vince  them  fir  ft  of  all,  what  God  is,  and  what  the  Law  is, 
aad  what  the  Nature  of  true  Religion  is  ;  that  they  may 
know,  what  Converfion  means,  and  what  it  means  to  be  a 
good  Man  :  and  there  will  be  no  Difficulty  then  to  con 
vince  them  of  theDepravity  of  Mankind.     For  what  leads 
them  to  think  it  fo  eafy  a  Thing  to  become  a  good  Man, 
and  that  Men  may  be  brought  to  it  merely  by  the  force  of 
moral  Suafion,  is,  their  wrong  Idea  of  the  Nature  of  true 
Religion.     IF  Religion  be  what  they  fuppofe,  then  no 
Doubt  any  Body  may  eafily  become  good,    for  corrupt 
Nature  can  bear  with  fuch  a  Religion.     But  if  Religion,  or 
3  Conformity  to  God'sLaw,  be,  what  I  have  endeavoured  to 
prove  it  to  be  in  the  former  Difcourfe,  then  no  Doubt  Man 
kind  are  naturally  diametrically  oppofite   thereto  in    the 
Temper  of  their  Minds  :  even  all  Mankind,  Arminians  as 
well  as  others.     And  all  do,  or  might  know  it,  if  they 
would  ferioufly  and  honeftly  weigh  the  Matter  ;    for  it  is 
plain  Fact.     The  Arminians  are  wont  mightily  to  cry  up 
Works,and  plead  for  the  moral  Law,   as  tho'   they  were 
great  Friends  to  it :  but  if  their  Miftakes  about  the  moral 
Law  might  once  be  re&ified,  and  they  be  brought  really 
and  heartily  to  approve  it,  as  holy^juft  and  good  ;  one  prin 
cipal  Source  of  all  their  Errors  would  be  dried  up  :     ancf 
particularly,  their  wrong  Notions  about  Election   and  uni- 
verfal  Redemption. 

"  But  where  was  there  any  Love,"  Cwill  the  Objeflor 
66  fay,)  inGod's  giving  his  Son  to  die  for  the  Non-Eledt,or 
"  Sincerity  in  his  offering  themMcrcy  ;  if  he  never  defigned 
"  to  bring  them  to  Glory,  but  from  Eternity  intended  to 
"  leave  them  to  perifh  in  their  Sins  ?" 

And  where  was  there  any  Love  ( /  anfwer )  in  God's 
bringing  the  Israelites  out  of  Egypt ^  or  Sincerity  in  his  offer 
ing  to  bring  them  to  Canaan  •,  if  he  never  defigned  even 
tually  to  bring  them  there,  but  from  Eternity  intended  to 
leave  them  to  murmur  and  rebel,  and  to  have  their  Car- 
cafes  fall  in  the  Wildernefs  ?  —The  Solution  in  both  Cafes 
is  the  fame,  and  is  plainly  this ;  as  it  was  theffraelites  oyw 

A  a  3  Fault 


3  5  8       True  Religion  delineated        D  i  s .  II. 

Fault  that  they  did  not  come  to  Canaan  at  laft,  fo  it  is  the 
Sinner's  own  Fault  that  he  finally  falls  fhort  of  Glory  : 
However,  the  Ifraelites  were  often  in  a  Rage,  and  ready  to 
fay,  'The  Lord  hath  brought  us  into  the  Wilderness  to  kill  us 
here,  and  they  murmured  againft  God  and  againft  Mofes, 
for  which  they  were  ftruck  dead  byHundreds&Thoufands : 
and juft  fo  Sinners  do,  and  the  fame  Punifhment  do  they 
deferve.  But  had  the  Ifraelites  felt  at  Heart,  that  it  was 
their  owrr  voluntary  Wickednefs  which  was  the  fole  Caufe 
of  their  Ruin,  and  did  Sinners  feel  it  at  Heart  too,  there 
would  be  no  murmuring  in  one  Cafe  or  the  other,  but  every 
Mouth  would  be  ftop'd.  But  I  have  fpoken  to  this  before. 
To  Conclude,  If  this  Reprefentation  of  Things  which 
I  have  given,  be  according  to  Truth,  hence  then  we  may 
learn  theie  two  Things,  which  indeed  were  what  I  had 
principally  in  View  in  dwelling  fo  long  upon  this  Subject 
and  labouring  to  anfwerObjecYions  :  I  fay,we  may  learn — 
I.  That  any  p:>or  Sinner,  all  the  World  over, who  hears  the 
Gofpel  &  believes  it,  has  fufficient  Grounds  of  Encourage 
ment,  from  theFreenefs  of  God's  Grace  &  the  Sufficiency  of 
Chrift  aad  the  univerfal  Calls  of  the  Gofpel,  to  venture  his 
eternal  ALL  in  this  Way  of  Salvation,  and  may  fafely  re 
turn  to  God  thro*  Chrift  in  Hopes  of  Acceptance  :  And 
that  without  any  particular  Revelation,  that  he  is  elefted  or 
that  Cbrijt  died  for  him  in  particular.  "  Any  may  come, 
"  the  vileft  and  the  word  -,  and  therefore  I  may  come." 
And  therefore  fuch  a  particular  Revelation,  is  perfectly 
needlefs :  Nor  could  it  do  any  Good ;  for  the  Truth  of  the 
Gofpel  may  be  depended  upon,  but  the  Truth  of  fuch  a 
particular  Revelation  cannot. —  2.  That  any  poor,  fmful, 
guilty,  broken-hearted  Backftider,  who  groans  under  the 
Burthen  of  Sin  as  the  greateft  Evil,  and  longs  to  have  the 
Power  of  Sin  taken  down,  and  his  Corruptions  (lain,  and 
himfelf  thoro'ly  fubdued  to  God,  may  look  up  to  the  infi 
nite  freeGrace  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  and  pray,  "  Lord, 
"  take  away  this  Heart  of  Stone,  and  give  me  a  Heart  of 
"  Fleih  :  Turn  me,  and  I  mall  be  turned  :  Lord,  if  thou 
;  wilt,  thou  canft  make  me  clean  :  O  create  in  me  a  clean 
:  Heart)  and  renew  in  me  a  right  Spirit,  and  reftore  to  me 
"  the  Joy  of  thy  Salvation !  To  thy  fovcreign  Grace  and 

felf- 


and diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  359 

"  felf-moving  Goodnefs  I  apply  my  felf  thro'  JefusChrift  : 
"  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  Sinner."  And  that  whether  he 
knows  himfelf  to  be  a  Child  of  God,  or  no :  and  fo  whether 
he  knows  that  he  belongs  to  theNumber  of  theEle6t,or  not : 
Nor  does  he  need  any  particular  Revelation,  that  Chrift 
died  for  him  in  particular,  or  that  he  is  elected,  or  that  he  is 
beloved  of  God  :  Nor  would  thefe  Things  do  any  Good  to 
clear  up  his  Warrant  to  come  forMercy  ;  becaufeGod  may 
thro'  Chrift  give  his  holy  Spirit  to  any  that  afk  him :  All 
that  are  athirft,  are  invited  to  come  and  take  of  the  Waters 
of  Life  freely.  "  Any  may  come,  and  therefore  I  may 
"  come,  altho'  the  vileft  Creature  in  the  World." —  And 
I  appeal  to  all  the  Generation  of  God's  Children,  whether 
this  has  not  been  their  Way  of  coming  toGod  thro'Chrift, 

ever  fince  the  Day  they  firft  came  to  know  the  Lord. 

Sure  I  am,  this  is  the  Scripture- Way.  God  has  fent  out  a 
Proclamation  thro'  a  (infill,  guilty  World,  inviting  all  to 
come  to  him  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  for  all  Things  :  and  given 
many  Encouragements,  by  reprefenting  how  free  his  Grace 
is,  how  fufficient  Chrift  is,  and  how  faithful  his  Promifes, 
and  that  whofoever  will,  may  come,  &c.  But  no  where  in 
all  the  Bible,  has  he  revealed  it,  that  fuch  and  fuch  in  par 
ticular  by  Name  among  Mankind  are  elefted,  and  that  for 
thefe  Individuals  Chrift  died  in  particular,  by  Way  of  En 
couragement  to  thofe  particular  Perfons,  in  order  to  let 
them  know  that  they  might  fafely  truft  in  Chrift,and  come 
to  God  thro'  him. —  But  then  muft  we  be  right,  when  we 
underftand  the  Gofpel  and  believe  it,  and  upon  the  'very En 
couragements  which  God  has  given,  are  emboldened  to  return 
in  Hopes  of  Acceptance  :  And  this  muft  be  agreeable  to 
God's  Will :  And  to  this  muft  the  Influences  of  the  true 
Spirit  tend.  But  to  venture  to  return  and  look  to  God  for 
Mercy  merely  upon  any  other  Ground,  is  anti-fcriptural  : 
And  whatfoeverSpirit  influences  thereunto,cannot  therefore 
be  from  God. 

And  thus  we  fee  how  the  Door  of  Life  is  opened  by 
Chrift,  our  great  Mediator  and  high  Prieft.  And  hence, 
Chrift  calls  himfelf  the  Door.  Joh.  10.  9.  lam  the  Door : 
By  me  if  any  Man  enter  *#,  he  /hall  be  faved.  And  hence  alfo, 
he  calls  himfelf  tbe  Way  to  the  Father.  Joh.  14.  6.  lam 

A  a  4  tbe 


560       True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

tbe  Way^  the  Truth?  and  the  Life :  No  Man  cometh  to  theFa- 
tber  but  by  me.  For  thro*  him  (faith  theApoftle,  Eph.2.i8J 
we  both  have  an  Accefs  by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father.  And 
alfo  thro"  him  God  is  reconciling  the  World  to  himfelf,  fending 
Ambaffadors  %n&  befeeching  them  to  be  reconciled.  2  Cor.  5. 
19,  20. —  Which  leads  me  to  the  next  Thing  propofed. 

SECTION     VI. 

A  View  of  the  METHODS  of  divineGrace  with 
Mankind  from  the  Beginning  of  the  World. 

4.  I  am  to  fhew  what  Methods  the  great  Governourof  the 
World  has  entered  upon>  in  Order  to  fut  in  Execution  thofe 
Dejigns  of  Mercy ,  which  he  had  in  Fiew^uvhen  he  contrived  to 
open  this  DOOR,  infuch  a  wonderful  and  glorious  Manner ',  by 
the  Interfofition  of  his  own  dear  Son. 

The  mod  high  God  is  confcious  of  his  own  infinite  Ex 
cellency,  his  Right  to,  and  his  Authority  over  theChildren 
of  Men  :  He  fees  Mankind  as  being  under  infiniteObliga- 
tions  to  love  and  obey  him,  and  that  the  leaft  Defect  is  an 
infinite  Evil :  He  judges  theLaw  to  be  holy,  juft  and  good, 
and  Mankind  wholly  to  blame  for  their  Non-Conformity 
thereto,  and  worthy  to  be  dealt  with  according  to  it.  He 
knows  their  Contrariety  to  him,  to  his  Law,  and  to  his 
Gofpel :  He  fees  all  thefe  Things  as  they  really  are. —  His 
infiniteWifdom  fees  how  it  is  fit  tor  fuch  a  one  as  he  is, now 
thro*  a  Mediator,  to  condu£t  towards  fuch  a  World  as  this 
is  :  He  fees  what  a  Conduct  is  mod  becoming,  and,  all 
Things  cpnfidered,  mod  meet  and  fuitable  :  And  to  this 
Conduct,  the  perfect  Re&itude  of  his  Nature  prompts  and 
inclines  }iim.—  Upon  the  whole,  he  necefTarify  and  freely 
determines  tq  act  like  himfelf,/>.  like  an  abfoluteSovereign, 
infinite  in  Wifdom,Holinefs,  Jufticc,  Goodnefs  &Truth. — 
This  was  his  Deter minatiorr  from  Eternity,  this  is  his  De 
termination  in  Time,  and  according  to  this  Rule  he  actu 
ally  proceeds,  in  all  his  Methods  with  a  finful,  guilty,obfti- 
nate  World  :  Working  all  Things  according  to  the  Counfel  of 
bis  own  Will.  Eph.  i .  i  i .  Sovereignly,  and  yet  wifely; 
holily  and  juftly,  a^d  yet  a$  tbe  Lord  God  gracious  and  mer 
ciful, 


and  diflinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  361 

ciful^Jlow  to  Anger  and  abundant  in  Goodnefs  and  'Truth.  As 
is  his  Nature,  fuch  is  his  Conduct  ^  and  hence  his  Conduct 
exhibits  to  us  the  very  Image  of  his  Heart.  Thus  it  is  in 
the  Impetration,  and  thus  it  is  in  the  Af plication  of  our  Re 
demption,  and  in  all  the  Methods  he  takes  with  a  guilty 
World  in  general.  And  hence,  all  his  Ways  are  calculated 
to  exalt  God  and  humble  the  Sinner,  to  honour  the  Law 
and  difc  ountenance  Sin,  to  exclude  Boafting  and  to  glorify 
Grace,  As  *we  lhall  more  fully  fee  in  what  follows. 

(i.)  As  being  the  fupreme  Lord  and  fovereign  Ruler 
of  the  whole  World,  he  does  thro'  Jefus  Chrifl  the  great 
Mediator,  the  Lamb  fiain  from  the  Foundation  of  the  Worldy 
by  whom  his  Honour  has  been  fecured,  he  does  (1  fay  ) 
thro'  him  grant :,  and  by  an  Att  of  Grace  confirm  Jo  the  World 
of  Mankind^  a  general  Reprieve  from  that  utter  Ruin,  which 
by  Law  was  threatned,  and  which  an  apojlate  World  were 
expofed  unto.  Total  Deftruction  was  threatned  in  Cafe  of 
Difobedience.  Gen.  2.  17.  In  dying thoujhalt die.  i.e.  Thou 
(halt  die  with  a  witnefs,  thy  Ruin  fhall  be  compleat.  And 
now  nothing  could  be  expe&ed  but  a  dreadful  Doom,  and 
to  be  fealed  down  under  ever  lading  Defpair.  But  inftead 
of  this,  the  great  God  dooms  the  Tempter ',  and  threatens 
utter  Ruin  to  his  new-ere6ted  Kingdom.  Gen.  3.  14,  15. 
Becaufe  thou  haft  done  this,  thou  art  cur  fed — And  thy  Head 
{hall  be  bruifed.  But  guilty  Man  is  reprieved  from  a  total 
Ruin,  and  allowed  a  Space  for  Repentance.  And  the 
World  has  now  flood,  almoft  fixThoufand  Years,  reprieved 
by  the  tender  Mercy  of  God  thro*  Jefus  Chrift. 

Indeed,  certain  Evils  were  denounced  by  the  Majefty  of 
Heaven  as  Handing  Monuments  of  his  Difpleafure,  always 
to  attend  a  guilty  Race  while  in  this  World.  Peculiar 
Sorrows  were  appointed  to  Women,  and  hard  Labour  and 
Toil  to  Men,  and  Sicknefs  and  Pain  to  both,  till  Death 
(hould  put  an  End  to  their  Reprieve  and  to  their  Space  for 

Repentance,  jfr.  16 — 19. And  when  our  Day  to  die 

fhail  come,  we  are  not  to  know  :  we  lie  at  Mercy  :  and 
God  acts  fovereignly  :  fo  long  as  he  pleafes,  fo  long  fliall 
we  be  reprieved,  and  no  longer.     And  thas  while  tender \ 
Mercy  appears  in  the  general  Reprieve,  the  Holinefs  and ; 
Juftice  and  Sovereignty  of 'God  appear  In  the  Manner  of 

it. 


362          7 rue  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II, 

it.  God  is  exalted,  a  guilty  World  lies  at  his  Mercy,  they 
are  in  a  Senfe  continually  under  his  Rod,  and  every  Mo 
ment  liable  to  drop  into  an  eternal  Hell.  They  are  held 
up  in  his  Hand,  Hell  gapes  to  receive  them,  and  now  he 
lets  one  fall  and  then  another,  now  this  and  then  that,  juft 
as  it  feems  good  in  his  Sight.  Surely,this  is  awful !  Surely, 
Mankind  are  in  very  humblingCircumftances,&:  inCircum- 
ftances  wonderfully  calculated  to  awaken  them  to  repent  and 
pray  to  God,  if  fer  adventure  theirWickednefs  may  be  forgiven* 

When  the  general  Reprieve,  gran  ted  to  this  lowerWorld, 
lhall  come  to  a  Period,  then  will  the  great  Judge  of  the 
World  proceed,  with  all  who  fhall  be  found  impenitent, 
according  to  Law,  without  any  mixture  of  Mercy.  The 
prefentReprieve,  granted  as  a  Space  for  Repentance,is  not 
of  the  Law^  but  of  mere  Grace  thro"  Jefus  Chrift.  Now  Grace 
takes  Place,  &  Patience,  Forbearance  and  Long- Suffering 
fit  on  the  Throne :  but  then  Law  fhall  take  Place,  and 
ftrict  Juftice  reign.  The  Mediation  of  Chrift  at  prefent 
fecures  the  Honour  of  Law  and  Juftice,  and  opens  the 
Door  for  Grace  -9  but  then  the  Day  of  Grace  will  be  at 
an  End.  A  guilty  World  fhall  no  longer  be  treated  in  a 
Way  of  Mercy,  and  favoured  on  Chrift's  Account ;  but  be 
proceeded  againft  in  flaming  Fire  and  terrible  Vengeance, 

and  every  one  be  punifhed  according  to  his  Deferts. 

How  long  the  Day  of  God's  Patience  with  a  guilty  World 
is  to  laft,  we  know  not.  A  guilty  World  lies  at  his  Mer 
cy,  and  may  be  all  fummoned  to  the  Bar  when  he  pleafes. 
Surely,  this  is  awful  and  awakening  !  But  this  is  the  State 
in  which  God  means  to  fhew  all  Long- Suffering,  and  to 
cxercife  and  difplay  the  infinite  Patience  of  his  Nature. 
And  furely,  this  fhould  lead  us  to  Repentance  !~ — Thus, 
this  is  one  Step  in  a  Way  of  Mercy,  which  God  in  his  in 
finite  Grace  thro'  Chrift  has  taken  with  a  guilty  World. 
And  what  is  the  Improvement  which  Mankind  are  difpof- 
ed  to  make  of  it  ?  Why,  becaufe  Sentence  againft  their  Evil 
Works  is  not  executed  fyeedily  ;  therefore  the  Heart  of  the  Sons 
of  Men  is  fully  fet  in  them  to  do  Evil.  Eccl.  8.  1 1 . 

(2.)  Another  Favour  granted  to  Mankind  in  general  by 
rue  great  Govef  nour  of  the  World  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  is, 
cf  the  goodnings  of  this  Life  for  their  comfor 
table 


and  diftinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  363 

table  Support^  while  under  this  Reprieve  and  in  this  new  State 
of  Probation.  By  Law  Mankind  for  their  Apoftacy  flood 
difmherited  of  every  good  Thing,  doomed  to  a  compleat 
Deftrudtion.  Gen.  2.  17.  But  now  thro*  a  Mediator,  they 

are  dealt  with  in  a  Way  of  Mercy. 'Tis  true,  in  token 

of  the  divine  Difpleafure  God  turned  Man  out  of  Paradife, 
and  curfed  the  Ground,  and  fubjefted  Man  to  hard  Labour. 
Gen.  3.  But  then  at  the  fame  Time,  for  Chrift's  fake,  a 
general  Grant  of  many  good  Things  is  made  to  a  guilty 
World.  They  are  allowed  to  live  on  God's  Earth,  breathe 
in  his  Air,  fee  by  the  Light  of  his  Sun,  to  eat  of  the  Herb 
of  the  Field,  and  to  eat  Bread  in  the  Sweat  of  their  Face, 
to  cloath  themfelves  with  the  Skins  of  (lain  Beads.  Gen.  3. 
They  are  allowed  Summer  and  Winter,  Seed-Time  and 
Harveft,  and  the  Beads  of  the  Field  are  given,  to  them. 
Gen.  S.  22.  and  9.  i,  2,  3.  Yea,  it  has  been  God's  Way 
abundantly  to  doGood  to  a  guilty  World,  to  fend  Rain  and 
grant  fruitful  Seafons,  and  Jill  the  Hearts  of  Men  with  Food 
and  Gladnefs.  Ah.  14.  17.  So  that  confidering  we  are  an 
apoftate,  guilty  World,  we  may  well  fay  with  the  Pfalmift, 
The  Earth  is  full  of  the  Goodnefs  of  the  Lord:  Pfal.  33.  5. 
And  this  notwithstanding  all  the  Calamities  which  over- 
fpread  the  whole  Earth.  For  we  are  now  to  attribute 
every  Thing  in  our  Circumftances,  whereby  we  are  better 
of  it  than  the  Damned  in  Hell  be,  to  the  mere  Mercy  and 
Goodnefs  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift.  Thus  God  reprieves 
a  guilty  World,and  grants  them  Food  and  Raiment,to  the 
Intent  they  may  have  a  Space  for  Repentance.  Surely  now 
'tis  vile,  infinitely  vile,  to  defpife  the  Riches  of  his  Goodnefs 
and  Forbearance  and  Long -Suffer  ing,  and  not  to  take  it  in 
and  underftand  it,  that  the  Goodnefs  of  God/hould  lead  us  to 
Repentance :  And  it  is  great  Madnefs,  after  our  hard  and 
impenitent  Hearts  to  go  on  in  our  Rebellion^  and  treafure  up 
Wrath  againft  the  Day  of  Wrath  ^  and  Revelation  of  the  righ 
teous  Judgment  of  God.  Rom.  2.  4,  5.  And  yet,  this  is  the 
general  Temper,  and  common  Way  of  the  World. 

(3. )  Another  common  Favour  granted  to  Mankind  up 
on  Chrift's  Account,  is,  a  general  Refurrefition  from  theDead: 
(i  Cor.  15.  21.)  to  the  Intent  that  all,  who  believe,  repent 
and  return  to  God  thro*  Jefus  Chrift,  may  be  compleatly 

happy 


364          True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

happy  in  Soul  and  Body  for  ever.  It  is  certain,  the  Law 
threatned  Death,  but  made  no  Provifion  for  a  Refurre&ion. 
And  if  the  Law  had  been  executed  and  no  Mediator  pro 
vided,  we  have  no  Reafon  to  think  there  ever  would  have 
been  any  Refurrection.  And  I  cannot  fee  why  a  general 
Refurrection  may  not  be  confidered  under  the  Notion  of  a 
Mercy  in  it  felf,  notwithftanding  many  by  their  final  Impe- 
nitency  lay  a  Foundation  for  their  being  raifed  up  to  ever- 
lafting  Shame  and  Confufion.  I  am  ready  to  think,  that 
to  be  raifed  from  the  Dead,  rriuft  furely  be  of  the  Nature  of 
a  Mercy,  and  fo  be  the  Effect  of  Chrift's  Merits  ;  but  the 
particular  Manner  in  which  theWicked  mall  be  raifed,  may 
neverthelefs  be  confidered  as  a  Pumlhment^ .  and  fo  be  the 
Effect  of  their  Sin  and  final  Impenitency.  Chrift's  Merit 
lays  the  Foundation  for  a  generalRefurrection,  and  all  that 
believe  and  repent  (hall  be  raifed  up  toGlory  and  compleat 
Bleffednefs,  and  al!  that  die  in  their  Sins  lhall  be  raifed  up 
to  Shame  and  compleat  Mifery. 

(4.)  There  are  alfo  diverfe  other  Things  granted  to 
Mankind  in  general,  which  feem  pretty  evidently  to  be  of 
the  Nature  of  Mercies,  and  fo  to  be  owing  to  the  Inter- 
pofition  and  Merits  of  our  glorious  Mediator  Chrift  Jefus, 
the  only  Mediator  between  God  and  a  fmful,  guilty  World: 
to  whole  Merits  and  Mediation,  every  Thing  which  Man^ 
kind  enjoy,  which  is  of  the  Nature  of  a  Mercy,  is  to  be  at 
tributed.  Diverfe  Things,  I  fay,  whereby  much  is  done 
towards  putting  fuch  an  apoftate  Race  of  Beings  into  a  Ca 
pacity  of  comfortably  living  together  in  this  World,  while 
they  are  in  their  new  State  of  Probation.  Divers  Things 
in  our  Temper,  which  feem  originally  to  take  their  Rife 
very  much  from  thatTemperamentof  Body  and  animalCon- 
ilitution,  which  God  our  Former  gives  us.  There  is  a  na 
tural  good  Humour •,  a  natural  Compajfion,  a  natural  Mo defty, 
and  natural  Affeftions.  Thefe  Things,  in  a  greater  or  lefs 
Degree,  we  find  to  be  natural  to  Men,  and  to  have  a  very 
great  Influence  to  keep  under  and  reftrain  theirCorruptions, 
and  to  incline  and  prompt  to  many  Actions  materially 
Good,  and  greatly  for  the  Comfort  of  human  Society  and 
Benefit  of  Mankind  in  general.  Thefe  Things  do  evi 
dently  keep  Mankind  from  Abundance  of  Wickednefs, 

which 


and  diftmguijhehfrom  all  Counterfeits.   365 

which  otherwife  they  would  commit  :  They  have  a  Heart 
for  a  Thoufand  Abominations,  but  thefe  Things  reftrain 
them.  And  thefe  Things  do  evidently  putMankind  on  to 
a  Thoufand  Actions  materially  good, which  otherwife  they 
would  never  do :  They  have  aHeart  bad  enough  to  neglect 
them,  but  thefe  Things  excite  them  to  do  them. —  Were, 
it  not  for  thefe  and  otherReftraints,  I  fee  not  whyMankind 
fliould  not  be  as  bad  in  this  World,  as  they  will  be  in  the 
next.  Wicked  Men  have  noWickednefs  infufed  into  them 
at  Death  •,  and  therefore  they  have  no  other  Nature,  ho 
other  Principle  of  Sin  in  theirHearts,after  they  aredead,than 
they  had  before  :  But  as  foon  as  they  are  dead,  they  are  evi 
dently  no  Doubt  as  univerfally  contrary  to  God  and  all  that 
is  Good,  as  the  Devils  themfelves.  As  foon  as  ever  thofe 
Things  which  now  reftrain  them,are  all  removed, their  true 
Temper  appears  without  any  Difguife. —  'Tis  no  Doubt 
therefore  a  greatMercy,  for  Mankind  to  be  thus  reftrained. 
They  enjoy  more  Comfort,  they  commit  lefsSin,they  merit 
lefs  Punifhment,  they  are  under  better  Advantages  to  live 
together,  to  enjoy  the  Means  of  Grace  and  attend  to  the 
Offers  of  Mercy  by  Jefus  Chrift.  And  therefore  it  feems 
that  all  thefe  Things  ought  to  be  attributed  to  the  tender 
Mercy  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  who  is  the  Saviour  of  all 
Men^  but  especially  of  them  that  believe*  i  Tim.  4.  10. 

Thus,  the  great  God,  inftead  of  executing  the  Sentence 
of  the  Law  in  all  it's  Severity  upon  a  guilty  World,  does, 
thro'  the  Mediation  of  Jefus  Chrift,  grant  to  Mankind  in 
general  thefe  common  Favours —  They  are  reprieved  from 
a  total  Ruin  —  have  a  comfortable  Maintenance  in  this 
World  allowed  them  —  a  general  Refurrection  is  decreed^ — 
feveral  natural  Endowments  are  granted,  to  reftrain  from 
bad  Actions  and  to  prompt  to  Actions  materially  good. 
And  hereby  theGovernour  of  the  World  has  laid  the  Foun 
dation,  and  prepared  the  Way  to  go  on  to  ufe  the  Methods 
he  defigned,  more  immediately  tending  to  reclaim  and  re 
cover  a  fmful,  guilty  World  to  hi mfelf  ;  for  now  Mankind 
are  put  into  a  Sort  of  a  Capacity  of  being  treated  with  in 
fuch  a  Way. 

Thefe  Things  ought  deeply  to  affect  Mankind.  We  lie 
under  many  Calamities,  and  yet  enjoy  many  Mercies  in 

this 


366          True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

this  our  natural  State  of  Guilt  and  Condemnation  -,  all 
which  ought  to  be  improved  to  awaken,  convince  &  hum 
ble  us,  and  lead  us  to  repent  and  cry  to  God  for  pardoning 
Mercy  and  fanctiiying  Grace,  and  predifpofe  us  cordially  to 
receive  and  embrace  that  Revelation,  which  God  has  made 
in  his  Word,  of  our  Ruin  and  the  Way  of  our  Recovery. 

But,  thro'  the  great  Blindnefs  and  Corruption  of  Man 
kind,  thefe  Things  have  had  a  very  contrary  Effect.  Man 
kind,  rinding  themfelves  thus  reprieved,  and  thus  kindly 
treated  by  God,  have  many  of  them  hereby  been  led  to 
think,  they  are  in  pretty  good  Standing,  not  by  Nature 
Children  of  Wrath  ^  and  under  Condemnation.  The  Devil 
told  £t'£,they  Jhould  not  furely  die  ;  fo  many  are  now  ready 
to  think,that  the  oldLaw,whichthreatned  the  leaftSin  with 
Death,is  repealed  ;  &  that  we  are  now  born  into  the  World 
free  from  any  Guilt.  And  Mankind,  finding  themfelves 
endowed  with  natural  Mo defty,  good  Humour ',  Compajpon  &c. 
are  ready  to  dream,  that  they  are  born  into  the  World 
without  any  fmful  Corruption  of  Nature,  but  rather  as  holy 
as  Adam  in  Innocency.  And  hence  are  very  infenfible  of 
any  Need  of  fuch  aRedeemer  and  Sanctifier  as  are  provided. 
And  fo  they  are  predifpofedto  diflike  thatRevelation  which 
God  has  made  in  his  Word  concerning  our  Ruin  and  the 
Way  of  our  Recovery.  And  hence  Mankind  are  flrongly 
bent  to  mifunderftand  and  mifinterpret  and  difbelieve  the 
Law  and  the  Gofpel.  And  befides,  by  this  Goodnefs  and 
Forbearance  of  God,  Men  are  emboldened  in  Sin,  as  if  it 
were  not  a  very  great  Evil,  nor  God  very  much  fet  againft 
it.  They  begin  to  think,  God  is  all  made  up  of  Mercy, 
and  that  they  are  in  no  great  Danger.  And  fo  after  their 
hard  and  impenitent  Hearts^  they  go  on  to  treafure  up  Wrath 
againft  the  Day  of  Wrath,  and  Revelation  of  the  righteous 
Judgment  of  God.  Thus  God  and  his  Goodnefs  is  abufed 
by  this  vile  wicked  Race  of  apoftate,  rebellious  Creatures. 
—  And  indeed,  all  this  is  no  more  than  was  expedted. — 
Great  Reafon  therefore  was  there  for  him  fo  effectually  to 
fecure  his  own  Honour  and  the  Honour  of  his  holy  Law, 
by  the  Interpofition  of  his  own  dear  Son  as  Mediator. — • 
And  now,  let  Mankind  be  ever  fo  bad,  he  can  go  on  with 
his  Methods  of  Mercy,  to  accomplifh  all  his  Defigns  of 

Grace, 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  367 

Grace,  and  all  confiftent  with  the  Honour  of  his  Holmefs 
and  Juftice,  Law  and  Government  and  facred  Authority. 

(5.)  Mankind  being  naturally  very  infenfible  of  their 
finful,  guilty,  ruined  Eftate,  and  totally  ignorant  of,  and 
unable  to  find  out,  any  Way  of  obtaining  the  divine  Fa 
vour,  and  wholly  averfe  in  theTemper  of  their  Hearts  to  a 
genuineReturn  to  God  ;  therefore  God  of  his  infiniteGrace 
thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  has,  in  various  Ways  and  diverfe  Man* 
ners,  according  to  the  good  Pleafure  of  his  Will,  by  im 
mediate  Revelation  from  Heaven,  fet  before  Mankind  their 
Ruin  and  the  Way  of  their  Recovery,  offered  many  Argu 
ments,  Motives  and  Encouragements  to  perfwade  them  to 
return,  and  denounced  terrible  Threatnings  to  deter  them 
from  going  on  in  their  Rebellion,  and  directed  them,  in  the 
ufe  of  certain  Means  of  Grace, to  feek  for  the  inward  Influ 
ences  of  the  holy  Spirit,to  awaken  and  convince,  to  humble 
and  convert  and  effectually  recover  them  to  God  thro'  the 
great  Mediator. 

(6.)  And,  becaufe  the  moflHigh  fees,that  thro'  the  very 
bad  Temper  of  Mankind,  this  external  Revelation,  altho' 
moil  excellently  adapted  thereto,  yet,if  left  to  themfelves, 
would  finally  prove  altogether  ineffectual  to  recover  any 
of  Mankind  •,  yea,  fo  very  far  from  it,  that  Mankind  would 
not  fo  much  as  rightly  underftand  or  believe  it,  or  ferioufly 
take  Matters  into  Confideration,  but  would  mifunderiland 
and  pervert  it,  and  finally  univerfally  difbelieve  and  re 
nounce  and  forget  it,  and  not  fuffer  it  to  have  any  Room  in 
the  World  :  therefore  he  has  from  the  Beginning  of  the 
World  and  does  ftill  and  will  to  the  End  of  the  World,  by 
the  inward  Influences  of  his  Spirit  and  by  the  outward 
Difpenfations  of  his  Providence,  carry  on,  according  to  his 
fovereign  Pleafure,  the  Work  of  his  Grace,  accomplifh  his 
eternal  Purpofes  of  Mercy,  recover  Sinners  to  himfelf, 
maintain  true  Religion  in  the  World,  preferve  his  Church, 
gather  in  all  the  Elect,  difplay  all  his  glorious  Perfections 
in  his  Dealings  with  Mankind,  and  get  to  himfelf  a  great 
Name  in  the  End  :  Exhibiting  in  his  whole  Conduct  from 
firft  to  lafl  the  moft  lively  Image  of  himfelf. 

In  thefe  two  laft  Particulars,  we  have  a  general  Account 
of  thofe  Methods,  which  God  does  take  with  a  fmful,guilty 

Race, 


368       True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  IL 

Race,  more  immediately  tending  to  their  Recovery  :  which 
we  may  fee  exemplified,  in  his  Dealings  with  Mankind, 
from  the  Beginning. 

i .  In  the  earlieft  Ages  of  the  World,  immediately  after 
the  Fall,  he  began  to  enter  upon  thefe  Methods  of  Grace. 
He  taught  our  firft  Parents  their  Ruin  and  the  Way  of  their 
Recovery  by  the  promifed  Seed  •,  and   inftituted  Sacrifices 
to  typify  the  great  Atonement,  which  fhould  afterwards  be 
made  for  the  Sins  of  the  World.  Gen.  3.     And  what  he 
taught  our  firft  Parents,  they  taught  their  Children.     And 
hence  Cain  and  Abel  and  after-Generations  learnt  to  worfhip 
God  by  Sacrifice.  Gen.  4.  3 — 8.    Now  Adam  lived  until 
Methufelah  was  two  Hundred  and  forty  fix  Years  old,  and 
Methufelah  lived  until  Shem  was  an  Hundred  Years  old,  and 
Shem  lived  until  the  Time  of  Abraham  and  Ifaac,  yea  'till 
Ifaac  was  fifty  Years  old  j  fo  that  the  News  of  Adam'sFzll, 
of  the  Ruin  of  Mankind,  and  of  Salvation  by  the  Seed  of 
theWoman,  might  eafily  have  been  handed  down  by  Tradi 
tion  from  one  to  another,  and  allMankind  might  have  been 
fully  acquainted  with  thefe  Things. —  And  befides  thefe  ex 
ternal  Teachings  and  Means  of  Grace,  God  granted  the 
inward  Influences  of  his  Spirit,  whereby  fome  were  effec 
tually  recovered  to  God,   of  whom  were  Abel,  Enoch  and 
Noah,  who  were  alfo  fignalized  by   divine  Providence. 
Gen.  4.  4.  &  5.  22.  &  6.  9.  Compared  with  Heb.  1 1.  4, — 7. 
But  while  God  thus  early  began  to  ufe  Methods  for  the 
recovery  of  a  finful,  guilty  World  to  himfelf,   they  began 
early  to  fhew  their  Averfion  to  God  and  Unwillingnefs  to 
return.  Cain  feems,  by  the  Sacrifice  which  he  offered,  quite 
infenfible,that  he  was  a  fallen  Creature,  and  that  he  needed 
an  Atonement  for  Sin.     He  brought  only  of  the  Fruit  of 
tile  Ground  for  a  Thank-Offering,  (like  the  Pharifee  in 
Luk.  1 8.  Whofe  Prayer  confifted  only  in  Thankfgiving, 
without  any  Faith  or  Repentance)  but  brought  none  of 
the  Flock  for  a  Sin-Offering,  (Gen.  4.)  altho'  without Jhed- 
ding  of  Blood  there  could  be  no  Remijfion.  Heb.  9.  22.  He 
was  a  formal  impenitent  Hypocrite,  nor  would  God  accept 
him ;  but  Abel  found  Favour  in  the  Sight  of  the  Lord  by 
Faith.  Hefr.  11.4,  And  therefore  Cain  was  angry  at  God, 
and  enraged  at  his  Brother,  and  murthered  him,  and  caft 

off 


and diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  369 

off  allReligion,  &  gave  himfelf  up  to  ferve  his  Lufts.  Yea, 
he  ibribok  the  vifible  Church  of  God,  and  departed  and 
went  into  the  Land  of  Nod.  And  thus  he,  and  afterwards 
his  Pofterity  alter  him,  ]oin  to  renounce  true  Religion,  and 
openly  diftinguifh  themfelves  from  God's  vifible  People  on 
Earth.  Gfn.4-.i6.  And  it  feems  Good  to  the  fupreme  Go- 
vernour  of  the  World,  e'en  to  let  them  all  take  their  Way, 
and  act  their  own  Nature. 

For  a  While,  true  Religion  was  maintained  in  the  Fami 
ly  of  Seth.  Gen.  4.  2  6.  And  to  put  Honour  upon  the 
Practice  thereof,  Enoch  was  tranflated  to  Heaven. Gen.  5. 2 4. 
But  yet,  in  Procefs  of  Time,  they  degenerated,  and  became 
ib  much  like  the  Reft  of  the  World,  like  the  Pofterity  of 
Cain,  t'ut  they  were  difpofed  to  reliili  th"ir  Company,  and 
marry  their  Daughters.  Gen.  6.  2.  And  then  prefently  the 
Contagion  fpread,T#£  Wickednefs  of  Mankind  in  general  was 
great  upon  the  Earth  ^  ($.  5.)  All  Flejh' corrupted  thehWays, 
and  the  Earth  was  filled  with  Violence.  ( >fr.i  i ,  1 2 .)  And  now 
the  great  Governour  of  the  World  raifes  up  Noah,  and 
makes  him  aPreacher  of  Right  eoitfnefs *,  and  Noah  preaches, 
and  God  waits  an  Hundred  and  Twenty  Years,  but  Man 
kind  will  not  be  reformed,  and  therefore  God  gives  over 
that  Generation,  and  drowns  the  World  by  a  univerfal  De 
luge. —  Firft9  Mankind  break  thro'  all  the  Reftraints  lying 
upon  them,  difcover  the  very  Temper  of  their  Hearts,pub- 
lickly  mew  their  Averfion  to  God,  their  Difregard  of  his 
Grace,  their  utter  Unwiilingnefs  to  return,  and  their  per- 
verle  Propenfity  to  go  on  in  theirRebellion. — Secondly >God, 
thro'  the  Mediator,  ufes  Means  to  reclaim  them,  and 
mews  ail  Long- fufFe ring, and  fo  tries  them. — 27;zn#y,They, 
remaining  obftinate,  trampling  under  Foot  his  Authority, 
and  defpifing  his  Goodnefs,  he  at  laft  in  a  moft  publick 
Manner  executes  righteous  Vengeance  upon  them.  —  He 
difplays  his  infinite  Goodnefs  and  Patience,  in  waiting  fo 
long  and  ufmg  fo  many  Means  for  their  Recovery  :  He 
difplays  his  Sovereignty,  in  waiting  but  juft  fo  long,and  in 
taking  but  juft  fo  much  Pains  with  them  ;  He  difplays  his 
Holinefs,  Juftice  and  Truth,  in  bringing  that  Deftructioi* 
upon  them  at  the  very  Time  before  threatned  :  and  in  the 
jhe  difplays  his  infinitcWifdom  i  his-  whole  Conduct* 
B  b  being 


370         "True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  IL 

being  excellently  well  calculated,  to  make  all  fucceeding 
Generations  know  that  he  is  the  LORD,  and  fuited  to  main 
tain  the  Honour  of  his  Holinefs,  Juftice,  Goodnefs  and 
Truth,  of  his  Law  and  Government  and  facred  Authority. 
And  thus  we  fee  what  Methods  God  took  with  the  old 
World,  together  with  the  Refult  of  all. 

And  now, 

2.  We  come  to  take  a  brief  View  of  his  Ways  with 
Mankind  Jince  the  Flood,  and  of  their  Carnage  towards  him. 
There  is  no  Doubt  but  that  Noah  had  received  by  Tradi 
tion  and  well  underftood  the  Fall  of  Adam>  the  Ruin  of 
Mankind,  the  Way  of  Recovery  by  the  Seed  of  the  Woman* 
the  Inftitution,  End  and  Delign  of  Sacrifices.  And  there 
is  no  Doubt  but  that  he  faithfully  inftru&ed  his  Children, 
in  what  he  himfelf  knew.  And  they  might  have  taught 
their  Children^  and  they  the  Generation  following,  and  fo 
all  the  World  might  have  known  the  Way  of  Salvation 
thro5  a  Mediator.  And  'tis  certain,  that  this  would  have 
been  the  Cafe,  had  Mankind  been  in  a  Difpofition  fuffici- 
cntly  to  have  prized  the  Knowledge  of  thefe  Things.  But 
•when  they  knew  God,  by  parental  Inftruclion,  they  did  not 
glorify  him  as  God,  neither  were  they  thankful  for  thefe  Ad 
vantages  which  infinite  Goodnefs  had  granted  them.  Rom. 
1.2 1.  But  became  vain  in  their  Imaginations  ^and  their  foolijh 
Heart  was  darkened.  And  they  foon  loft  the  Knowledge  of 
true  Religion,  and  fell  off  to  Idolatry, and  changed  theGlory 
of  the  incorruptible  God,  into  an  Image  made  like  unto  cor 
ruptible  Man,  and  to  Birds  and  four-footed  Beafts  and  creep 
ing  Things,  Ver.  23.  For  they  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in 
their  Knowledge i  Ver.  28.  And  when  Mankind,  prefently 
after  the  Flood,  did  thus  publickly  difcover  the  Temper 
of  their  Hearts,  by  renouncing  the  true  God  and  true  Re 
ligion,  and  falling  away  to  Idolatry  and  Superftition  and 
all  Manner  of  Wickednefs  :  I  fay,  when  Mankind,  not- 
withftanding  the  late  awful  Warning  they  had  had  by  the 
unhrerfal  Deluge  ;  did  thus  quickly  fliew  themfelves  fo  in- 
tirely  difpofed  to  their  finful  and  rebellious  Courfes  :  For 
this  Caufe  God  gave  them  up.  jr.  24,  26,  28.  even  fuffered 
them  to  take  their  own  Way  and  run  their  own  Ruin. — 
The  whole  Earth  might  all  have  been  God's  People  and  his 

vifible 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  371 

vifible  Family,  but  they  would  not.  They  might  all  have 
retained  the  Knowledge  of  the  true  God  and  of  the  Way  to 
Life,  but  they  did  not  like  to  ;  and  God  was  not  obliged  to 
make  them,  and  therefore  he  even  let  them  take  their  own 
Courfe :  and  yet  took  Care,  in  after  Ages,  not  to  leave 
himfelf  without  Witnefs,  but  by  many  wonderful  Works 
to  let  all  the  Nations  of  the  Earth  know  that  be  was  the 
LORD.  And  if  any  would  repent  and  return,  he  made 
Provifiorr  for  their  Reception  as  Profelytes  into  the  Jewijh 
Church.  And  doubtlefs  here  and  there  one,  from  Age  to 
Age,  by  the  inward  Influences  of  his  blefied  Spirit,  were 
brought  fo  to  do  ;  and  the  reft  were  blinded;  as  is  faid  in  a 
parallel  Cafe,  Rom.  u.  7. 

And  now  theKnowIedge  of  thetrueGod  &  of  true  Reli 
gion  muft  prefently  have  been  loft  from  off  the  Face  of  the 
whole  Earth,  and  never  have  been  recovered,  and  Satan 
had  the  moft  full  PofTeffion  of  the  whole  World  to  the  lateft 
Pofterity,  had  not  free  and  fovereign  Grace  interpofed  in  a 
moft  wonderful  Manner  in  this  dark  and  awful  Juncture. 
But  in  this  very  Seafon,  God  was  pleafed  of  his  own  mere 
Goodnefs  and  fovereign  Pleafure,  ftill  thro*  the  appointed 
Mediator,  by  the  gracious  Influences  of  his  Spirit,  and  by 
immediate  Revelations,  and  by  the  fpecial  Difpenfations  of 
his  Providence,  to  preferve  to  himfelf  a  Seed  to  ferve  him.— • 
He  called  Abram  alone,  as  it  were,  from  the  reft  of  the 
World,  and  blefTed  him  ;  he  made  farther  Revelations  to 
him  touching  the  promifed  Seed,  and  entred  into  a  Covenant 
to  be  his  God  and  the  God  of  his  Children  after  him. 
And  now,  a  new  World  of  Wonders  begin  to  open  to  our 
View,  in  the  divine  Difpenfations  towards  Abraham  and. his 
Seed.  Gen.  12.  &c. 

Note9  While  God  was  doing  thefe  Things  with  Abra~ 
ham^  the  reft  of  the  World  grew  Wicked  apace.  And 
therefore  God  thought  fit,  to  give  a  Specimen*  of  theTem- 
per  of  his  Heart,  and  let  the  Nations  know  that  he  was  the 
LORD,  by  raining  Fire  and  Brimftone  out  of  Heaven  upoz 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  who  were  remarkably  Wicked  •,  and 
at  the  fame  Time  delivering  righteous  Lot.  Gen.  19.  — -A 
Difpenfation  fo  remarkable,  and  never  the  like  before  heard 
of,  that  no  doubt  it  flew  like  Lightning  all  the  World  over, 

B  b  2  and 


True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  IL 

and  fpread  Terror  and  Surprize  thro'  the  guilty  Nations. 
Howfoever,  for  all  this*  they  turned  not  to  the  Lord. 

Well,  Abraham  is  circumciied  with  all  his   Houfhold, 
and  true  Religion  is  taught  and  maintained  in  his  Family,  \ 
and  Ifaac  his  Son,  and  Eleazer  his  Servant,  feem  to  have  ] 
been  favingly  wrought  upon  by  divine  Grace.     And  God  5 
blefTes  Abraham,  and  he  becomes  very  great  .-,   and  God  j 
protects  him  wherever  he  goes,  to  the  Honour  of  his  great  1 
Name,  in  the  midft  of  an  idolatrous  World.      Neverthe- 
lefs,  the  World  inftead  of  growing  wiier  and  better  by  all 
this,  which  doubtlefs  was  heard  of  and  much  wondered  at 
.  among  the  Nations,  they  grew  worfe  and  worfe.  —  Yea, 
Wickednefs  appears  openly  in  Abraham's  Family  it  felf. 
Ifhmael  difcovers  a  bad  Spirit  ;  *  He  mocks  at  Ifaac,  Gen. 
21.9.  And  he  that  was  born  after  the  Flejh,  -perfecuted  him 
that  was  born  after  the  Spirit ,  Gal.  4.  29.    So  that  he  was, 
in  a  Sort,  excommunicated  and  call  out  of  God's  vifible 
Family.     And  it  is  not  long  before  true  Religion  is  a  Thing 
unknown  among  his  numerous  Pofterity.     And  they  who 
were  of  the  Seed  of  Abraham  according  to  the  Flefh,  were 
now  nurnbred  with  the  Heathen.     Thus,  after  this  Sort  it 
fared  with  Cain  the  firft  Perfecutor,  and  thus  it  fares  with 
IJhmael,  for  the  warning  of  all  godlels  and  carnal  Profeflbrs. 
And  yet  from  Age  to  Age  this  fame  Temper  has  appeared, 
and  yet  ftill  does  appear,  altho'  perhaps  this  Sin,  from  the 
beginning  of  the  World  to  this  Day,,  has  never   yet  gone 
unpunilhed. 

Now,  it  was  faid,  In  Ifaac  Jball  thy  Seed  be  called.  And 
with  him  God  renewed  the  Covenant,  and  to  him  thePro- 
mifes  were  repeated,  and  God  bleiied  him,  and  he  became 
very  great ;  and  he  alfo  was  under  a  fpecial  divine  Pro- 
teftion:  Yet  there  was  a  frofane  Efau  in  his  Family,  who 
made  fo  light  of  the  fpiritual  Bleflings  of  Abraham,  as,  for 
a  mere  Trifle,  to  fell  his  Birth-right.  And  he  afterwards 
became  a  Perfecutor  of  his  Brother  Jacob*  and  his  Pofteri 
ty  foon  loft  the  Knowledge  of  the  true  God  and  of  the  true 
Religion,  and  degenerated  into  a  State  of  Heathenifm. 

Nor  can  it  be  attributed  to  any  Thing  but  the  free  and 
fovefeign  Grace  of  God^  that  Jacob  and  his  Seed  did  not 
do  fo  top.  But  fo  it  was ';  for  fo  it  feemed  Good  in  the 

Eyes 


and  diflinguijh&d  from^all  Counterfeit  3. 

Eyes  of  him,  who  has  Mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  Mercy ^ 
and  whofe  Purpofe  according  to.  Eieffion  always  /bands  inde 
pendent  on  Works:  Horn.  9.  1 1.  I  fay,  fo  it  was,  thro'  the 
Power  of  him,  who  worketh  all  things  according  to  the 
Counfel  of  his  ownWilljh?&  when  all  the  otherNations  of  the 
Earth  were  fuffered  to  renounce  the  true  God  and  the  true 
Religion,  that  in  Jacob  God  was  known.,  and  his  Name  'was. 
great  in  IfraeL  —  Never  was  there  a  Nation,  which  difco- 
vered  a  ftrongerPropenlity  toldoiatry,&  allManner  of  Wick- 
ednefs  than  they.  And  notwithilanding  all  the  mighty 
Reftraints,  by  God  laid  upon  them,  they  were  almoft  per 
petually  breaking  thro'  all,  and  rufhing  on  like  the  Horfe 
into  the  Battle.  Neither  Warnings,  nor  Threatnings,  nor 
the  Authority  of  God,  nor  the  Tears  of  their  Prophets,  nor 
the  moft  terrible  Judgments,  were  ever  able  effectually  to 
reftrain  that  People  and  turn  them  to  God.  And  had  not 
God  always  by  his  fpecial  Grace,  kept  a  Remnant  for  him- 
felf,  they  would  have  been  like  Sodom  and  like  toGonwrrab, 
Ifai.  i.  2 — 9.  Rom.  u.  2 — 7.  y 

Now  the  divine  Perfections  were  moft  illuftrioufly  dif- 
played,  in  the  divine  Conduct  towards  this  People,  from 
Age  to  Age  ;  and  that  not  only  before  theirFaces,  but  alfo 
in  the  Eyes  of  all  the  Nations  round  about  them.  Marvel 
lous  Things  were  wrought  in  Egypt ;  and  Wonders  at  the 
Red  Sea,  and  forty  Years  in  the  Wildernefs,  which  noDoubt 
did  ring  thro*  the  World,  and  were  enough  to  have  made 
all  the  Earth  know  that  he  was  the  LORD,  and,  but  for 
their  perverfe  Stubbornnefs,  to  have  brought  them  all  to 
worlhip  him  and  him  only.  But  all  this  was  fo  far  from 
reclaiming  the  Heathen  Nations,  that  it  hardly  tamed  the 
Ifraelites  themfelves.  But  they  rebelled  at  fiberah^  and  at 
Maffah^  and  at  Kibroth-Hattaavah,  and  were  perpetually 
provoking  the  Lord  to  Wrath.  Deut.  9.  When  he  Jlew  thew^ 
then  they  fought  him  :  And  returned  and  enquired  early  after 
God.  Never  thelefs,  they  did  flatter  him  with  their  Mouth  >and 
lied  unto  him  with  their  Tongues.  For  their  Heart  was  not 
right  with  him,  neither  were  they  ftedfaft  in  his  Covenant, 
PfaL  78.34—37.  And  many  a  Time  were  they  within  a 
Hair's  Breadth  of  Deftru&ion,  and  would  furely  have  been 

B  j?  3  utterly 


374        True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

utterly  deftroyed,  but  that  he  wrought  for  bis  great  Name's 
fake.  Exod.  32.  Num.  14.  Ezek.  20. 

So  again,  in  the  Days  ofjo/kua,  he  divided  Jordan^  and 
drove  out  the  Heathen  before  them^  and  gave  them  their  Land 
in  Poffeffion^  and  made  the  Tribes  oflfrael  dwell  in  their  fents. 
Tet  they  afterwards  tempted  and  provoked  the  mott  high  God% 
and  kept  not  his  Teftfmonies,  but  turned  back  and  dealt  un 
faithfully  like  their  Fathers :  they  provoked  him  to  Anger 
with  their  high  Places  >  and  moved  him  tojealoujly  with  their 
graven  Images.  Pfal.  78.  54 — 58.  Judg.  2.  6 — 20.  And 
now  for  the  Space  of  many  Years,  God,  by  raifmg  up 
Judges  and  by  fending  Prophets  and  executing  Judgments, 
did  labour  to  reform  them ;  but  all  in  vain :  For  they 
quickly  turned  ajide  like  a  deceitful  Bow.  However  in  the 
mean  while,  the  Goodnefs  and  Patience  of  God  on  the  one 
Hand,  and  his  Holinefs  and  Juftice  on  the  other,  were 
illuftrioufly  difplayed  by  his  wonderful  Works  in  the 
midft  of  the  Earth,  to  be  founded  out  among  all  Nations  -3 
that  all  the  Earth  might  know  that  he  was  the  LORD. 

In  the  Days  of  David  and  Solomon^  God  wrought  for  his 
great  Name's  fake,  and  exalted  his  People,  and  made  Ifrael 
honourable  in  the  Sight  of  all  Nations  ;  yet  were  they 
not  fmcere  in  his  Sight :  and  when  outward  Reftraints 
were  afterwards  taken  off,  they  foon  difcovered  the  hidden 
Temper  of  their  Hearts,  that  they  did  not  care  for  God  or 
his  Worfhip,  but  liked  Dan  &  Bethel^  as  well  as  theTemple 
at  Jerufalem.  Thus  did  the  ten  Tribes  j  noj:  was  their  trea 
cherous  Sifter  Judah  more  fmcere.  When  a  good  K'ng 
reigned,they  would  pretend  to  be  good  ;  &:  when  a  badKing 
reigned,  they  ftood  ready  for  Idols.  And  now  God  fent 
Judgment  upon  them  Time  after  Time,  and  fent  all  his 
Servants  the  Prophets,  faying,  0  do  not  this  abominable 
Thing  which  my  Soul  hateth :  but  they  would  not  hearken. 
The  Lord  God  of  their  Fathers  fent  to  them  by  his  Mejfengers? 
vijing  up  betimes  and  fending  ;  becaufe  he  had  Compaffion  on 
his  People  and  on  his  Dwelling-Place :  but  they  mocked  the 
Meffengers  of  God>  and  defpifed  his  Words^  and  mifufea  his 
Prophet^  until  the  Wrath  of  God  arofe  againfl  his  People* 
fill  I  here  was  no  Remedy.  'Therefore  he  'brought  upon  them 
the  fang  of  the'Chaldee^  and  gave  ibcm  all  into  his  Hand. 
?'ChrGn.  36.  1 5,  1 6,  17:  However, 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits  $  ^  e 

However,  God  was  tenderly  touched  :.at  the  public^, 
Reproach  and  Difhonour,  to  which  his  great  Name  was 
expoied  in  the  Eyes  of  infuking  Nations  all  around,  who 
doped  their  Hands  ^  and  ft  amp  ed  witb  their  Feet,  and  rejoyced 
with  all  their  Heart,  for  what  was  done  to  the  People 
called  by  his  Name,  glorying  that  their  GOD  was  no  bet 
ter  than  the  dumb  Idols  which  they  ferved.  WhereforeGod 
raifed  up  the  Prophet  Ezekiel,  who  clears  up  God's  Con- 
dud  towards  his  People,  in  Chapters  i6th  and  1 8th  and  on. 
And  dooms  the  neighbouring  Nations  in  the  Name  of  God, 
declaring  what  Judgment  fhould  come  upon  them  from 
the  Hand  of  God  for  their  infuking,  whereby  they  fhould 
be  made  to  know  that  He  was  the  LORD,  as  in  the  25th  to 

Chap.  3 1 . And  now  alfo  Daniel  and  his  Companions 

were  by  God  raifed  up,  that  by  them  his  Name  might  be 
come  great  in  the  Eyes  of  all  Nations.  And  for  them  he 
works  fuch  Deliverances  as  to  conilrain  the  haughty  Mo- 
narchs  of  the  Earth  to  ifTue  out  their  Decrees  thro*  all  the 
World,  that  none  fhould  fpeak  any  Thing  amifs  againft  the 
God  of  Shadrach,  Me/hack  and  Abednego,  upon  Pain  of  be- 
Jng  cut  in  Pieces,  and  their  Houfes  made  a  Dunghill. 
And  that  in  all  their  Dominions  Men  fhould  fear  and  tr em- 
lie  before  the  God  of  Daniel.  Dan.  3.  29,  and  6.  26, 
Surely  the  infinite  Wifdom  of  God  appears  moft  wonder* 
fully,  in  all  the  aftonifhing  Methods  which  he  has  taken  to 
make  himfelf  known,  &  to  keep  up  theHonour  of  his  great 
Name  among  fuch  a  wicked,  God-hating  Race  of  Beings ! 

And  now  all  this  while,  there  was  nothing  but  the  in 
finite  Goodnefs,  and  free  and  fovereign  Grace  of  God,  TO*' 
gether  with  his  Covenant  Faithfulnefs,  to  move  him,  not 
to  caft  off  and  utterly  reject  his  People,  and  let  them  be 
fcattered  among  the  Heathen,  and  their  Name  perifh  from 
off  the  Earth,  It  was  for  his  great  Name's  fake  that  he 
wrought  Salvation  for  them  from  Time  to  Time.  Ezek.  20, 
When  there  was  n$  Motive  in  them,  but  every  Thing  to 
the  contrary  •,  then  for  his  own  Sake  he  undertook  to  write 
fris  Law  in  their  Hearts  and  put  it  in  their  inward  Parts*  to 
fa  their  God  and  make  them  his  People*  and  to  remember  their 
Iniquities  no  more  againft  them^  and  to  bring  them  lack  tc 
their  own  Land,  and  plant  them  and  build  them  up.  Ezek, 
36.  j6^~ 34*  B  b  4  /  Ar4 


376        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

And  however,  by  the  Babylonijh^  Captivity  the  Jewi/h 
People  were  pretty  thoro'ly  cured  of  their  idolatrous  Dif- 
pofition  •,  yet  alter  their  Return,  and  after  the  godly  Men 
•of  that  Generation  were  dead,  they  foon  began  to  fliew  that 
they  were  as  averfe  to  God  and  the  Life  of  Religion  as 
ever.  And  yet  all  thefe  Things  notwithftanding,  God  is 
determined  to  make  one  Trial  more.  He  had  fent  one 
Servant  after  another,  and  they  had  been  beaten,  and  fton- 
ed,  and  put  to  Shame,  and  fent  away  empty.  Now  there 
fore  he  fends  his  only  Son,  to  fee  if  they  will  hear  him  :  and 
behold  they  fay,  Come  let  us  kill  him.  Mat.  21.  33 — 39. 
Wherefore  at  lafb,  God  determines  to  caft  off  that  Nation. 
ver.  41.  And  to  go  and  try  the  Heathen,  whom,  for  a 
long  Time,  he  had  fuffered  to  take  their  own  Ways. 

And  now,  to  his  Apoftles  Chrift  gives  CommifTion,  to 
go  into  all  the  Earth,  and  preach"  the  Gofpel  to  every  Crea- 
ture^andhe  that  believethjays  he,  /ball  b&Javed  ;  and  he  that 
believeth  not  fb  all  be  damned.  And  they  run, and  preach, and 
cry,  Repent  and  turn  from  your  dumb  Idols  to  ferve  the  living 
God.  And  had  not  they  been  flopped,  they  would  foori 
have  carried  the  News  all  round  the  World.  But  Jews 
and  Gentiles  combine  together,  and  Earth  and  Hell  are  in 
Arms  to  defeat  theDefign.  Neverthelefs,  as  many  as  were 
ordained  to  eternal  Life  believed.  And  God  carried  on  his 
Work  thro'  a  Sea  of  Blood,  and  in  about  three  Hundred 
Years  conquered  the  Roman  Empire. 

No  fooner  is  this  done,  but  the  Myftery  of  Iniquity  begins 
to  work,  and  the  Man  of.  Sin  to  be  revealed.  The  Devil 
and  his  Servants  turn  their  Coat,  and  under  the  Cloak  of 
Religion  and  good  Order,  eftablifh  the  Kingdom  of  Satan 
in  a  new  Form :  For  it  is  the  Nature  of  Mankind  to  hate 
true  Religion.  And  now  Antichrift  reigns,  and  fc alters 
the  holy  People^  and  wears  cut  the  Saints  of  the  mofl  High, 
for  a  ^ime^and  Tmes9  and  half  a  Time.  In  the  mean  while, 
*ihe  JFcman.  flies  into  the  Jf'lldernefs,  the  JVitneffes  prophefy 
in  Sackcloth,  until  at  laft  the  ffitnejfif  themfelves  are  Jlain. 
And  now  Religion  is  driven  even  juft  out  of  the  World, 
and  there  had  been  no  Hope,  but  that  God  awoke  as  one 
<,ut  of  Sleep ,  like  a  mighty  Man  that  Jhouteth  by  Reafon  of 
And  behpid  tfre  Spirit  of  Life  from  God  enters  into 

* 


and  diftinguifhed from  all  Counterfeits.  3  7  7 

the  two  Witneffes^  that  is,  Luther  and  Cahin^  and  others 
their  Contemporaries  •,  and  they  flood  upon  their  Feet^  and 
great  Fear  fell  upon  them  which  faw  them.  And  God  pat 
them  out  of  their  Enemies  Reach.  And  there  was  a  great 
Earthquake,  and  a  tenth  Part  of  the  City  fell.  Rev.  9 .  And 
a  glorious  Day  began  to  dawn. 

But  now,  it  is  not  long,  before  many  turnHereticks  and 
Enthufiafts,  and  the  World  rifes  in  Arms,  and  by  Fire  and 
Sword  endeavour  to  demolifh  the  Redeemer's  Kingdom. 
However,  God  wrought  for  his  great  Name's  fake, and  has 
ever  fmce  been  working,  and  will  go  on  conquering  and 
to  conquer,  until  all  the  Nations  of  the  Earth  are  brought 
into  Subje6Uon  to  his  Son. 

Thus  we  have  taken  a  brief  View  of  the  Methods  which 
God  has  taken  to  recover  a  fmful,  guilty  World,  to  him- 
felf :  The  external  Means  we  have  chiefly  dwelt  upon.  Up 
on  the  internal,  fomething  farther  fllall  be  added  prefently. 
But  let  us  firft  make  a  few  Remarks. 

REMARK  i.  Had  not  Mankind  been  wholly  to  Blame, 
they  might  all  of  them  from  the  Beginning  have  enjoyed 
the  Benefit  of  divine  Revelation.  Nothing  feel  tided  them 
therefrom,  but  their  own  bad  Temper  and  baclConduc"l. — 
And  had  not  Mankind  been  wholly  to  Blame,  they  might 
all  of  them  have  enjoyed  the  Gofpei,  and  had  it  pleached 
all  over  the  World  to  this  Day.  Nothing  has  hindered  it 
but  their  own  perverfe  Obflinacy,  their  hating  the  Light, 
and  hating  the  Truth. —  Strange  it  is  therefore,  that  fome 
Men  of  Learning  fhould  be  fo  full  of  Charity  for  the  Hea 
then,  who  thus  hate  God,  defpife  Chrifl,  and  reject  theGof- 
pel.  * 

REM. 

?  But  perhaps  fqme  will  be  ready  to  fay,  that  there  may  be  many  honeft 
Perfons  among  the  Heathen,  'who  never  heard  of  the  Gofpei,  and  never 
rcjefied  ity  <whp  may  Jland fair  for  Heaven. 

nfw.  There  is  a  Number  of  fuch  honeft  Sort  of  Perfons  among  Chrif- 
tians,  but  their  natural  Enmity  to  God  and  Chrift  and  Gofpel-Grace  is 
found  to  be  as  great  as  others.  And  fometimes  Publicans  and  Harlots 
enter  into  Heaven  before  them. —  Surely  none  of  them  more  honeft 
than  the  young  Man  in  the  Gofpei,  nor  ever  arrived  to  greater  Attain 
ments ;  and  therefore  all  of  them  might  do  as  he  did,if  under  the  fame 
Circumftances.  That  natural  Kind  of  Honefty,  many -Times  is  an  Oo 

cafion 


378        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

REM.  2.  Mankind  have  manifcfted  the  higheft  Degree 
of  Averfion  to  God  arid  true  Religion  from  the  Beginning  of 
the  World,  and  that  almoft  in  all  pofiible  Ways.  Hun 
dreds,  and  Thoufands,  and  Millions,  have  they  in  their 
Rage  put  to  Death,  and  that  in  the  moft  barbarous  arid 

cruel  Manner. Strange  it  is  therefore,  that  fo  many 

Matters  of  Fad  have  not  to  this  Day  convinced  Mankind, 
that  they  are  are  truly  Enemies  to  God. — • —  Strange,  that 
they  can  have  theFace  to  make  the  oldPretence,  and  fay,  If 
we  had  been  in  the  Days  of  our  Fathers^  we  would  not  have 
been  Partakers  with  them>  in  the  Blood  of  the  Prophets. 
Mat.  23.  30.  When  all  the  Time,  from  Age  to  Age,  they 
have  been  acting  over  the  old  Scene. 

REM.  3.  It  has  been  owing  wholly  and  entirely  to  the 
free  Grace  and  almighty  Power  of  God,  that  the  Church 
has  been  freferved^  and  true  Religion  not  driven  clean  out 
of  the  World  :  It  is  one  of  the  greateft  Miracles  that  ever 
was  wrought. 

REM.  4.  God  has  always  acted  fovereignly  in  choofing 
what  Family,  Nation  or  Nations  he  would  preferve  true 
Religion  among ;  all  being  by  Nature  equally  averfe  to 
God,  and  equally  unworthy :  and  has  always  acted y«/?/y 
in  giving  over  other  Families  and  Nations  for  their  Sin  and 
Apoftacy, 

REM.  5.  The  whole  Scheme  of  the  divine  Conduct  has 
been  moft  excellently  calculated  to  difplay  all  the  divine 
Perfections  to  the  belt  Advantage :  And  it  does  exhibit 
to  us  the  very  Image  of  his  Heart  in  ftrong  and  lively 
Colours. 

But  to  proceed, 

Altho*  the  external  Means  of  Grace  and  remarkable  Dif- 
penfations  of  Providence  perhaps  may  in  a  Meafure  fome- 
times  reftrain  Mankind,  and  bring  them  to  a  feigned  Sub- 
million  to  God  and  his  Laws  ;  yet  fuch  is  their  rooted 
Enmity  and  entire  Averfion  to  God  and  true  Religion,  that 

not 

cafion  of  Men's  being  hardened  againft  Chriftianity ;  for  they  are  very 
ready  to  fay,  God,  I  thank  thee,  I  am  not  as  other  Men.  Like  him^in 
Luk.  1 8.  VoubtYefs  thete  hcne/l  Heatien  would  do  as  their  Fathers  did, 
had  they  the  Opportunity.  So  th£  honrft  Jfrtvs  did.  See  #<?#»  *3' 
28-33. 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  379 

not  one  ifill  hereby  be  brought  to  repent  and  fincerely  turn 
to  God.  Pfal.  78.  34 — 37.  £#81.  8 — 12.  If  at.  5.  i  — 7. 
Nothing  fhort  of  thofe  inward  Influences  of  the  SPIRIT, 
which  are  Almighty  &  All-conquering,  will  effectually  at 
tain  the  End.  Mat.  u.  20 — 27.  Eph.i.iy.  —  And  there 
fore  befides  die  external  Means  of  Grace  ^  God  has  as  it  were 
taken  a  World  of  Pains  with  one  and  another  of  Mankind 
by  tbe  inward  Influences  of  his  SPIRIT. — The  externalMeans 
indeed,  which  have  been  ufed,  are  more  open  to  Obferva- 
tion  ;  and  fo  alfo  is  that  external  Oppofition  which  Man 
kind  have  made  ;  but  the  fame  Ends  which  God  has  been 
purfwing  by  the  external  Means,  viz.  to  convince  Mankind 
of  their  finful,  guilty,  ruined  State,  and  bring  them  to  re 
turn  to  God  thro*  a  Mediator  ;  the  fame  has  he  been  pur- 
fuing,  by  the  inward  Influences  of  his  Spirit :  and  the  fame 
Oppofition  which  has  openly  appeared  againft  the  Means 
of  Grace,  has  alfo  fecretly  wrought  mightily  in  the  Hearts 
of  Men  againft  the  inward  Influences  of  the  Spirit.  Man 
kind  are  as  much  inclined  to  refift  the  SPIRIT,  as  they  be 
the  Word  of  God,  and  that  for  the  fame  Reafon  and  from 
the  fame  Temper  •,  becaufe  both  drive  at  the  fame  Thing, 
a  Thing  moft  contrary  to  their  Corruptions. 

Perhaps  there  are  fome  whom  God  never  vouchfafes  at 
all  to  drive  with  by  his  Spirit,  and  thefe  are  ready  to  think 

there  is  no  fuch  Thing. Others^  are  a  little  awakened, 

and  from  Self-Love,  the  Fears  of  Hell,  and  the  Hopes  of 
Heaven,  they  reform  their  Lives  a  little,  and  fet  about 
fome  external  Duties,  and  fo  think  to  make  Amends  for 
their  paft  Sins,  and  recommend  themfelves  to  the  divine 
Favour  •,  but  are  as  great  Enemies  as  ever  to  the  Power 
of  Religion  :  and  here  God  leaves  them  to  perifh. —  Others 
are  carried  farther,  and  become  more  ftrict  and  painful, 
but  ftill  from  the  fame  Principles ;  and  there  they  are  left 
to  perifh. —  Not  one  takes  one  Step  in  earneft,  unlefs  he  is 
driven  to  it ;  nor  goes  one  Step  farther  than  he  is  driven  : 
and  therefore  God  leaves  one  here,  and  another  there,  as 
feems  good  in  his  Sight.  They  do  not  like  to  retain  God 
in  their  Knowledge^  and  therefore  he  gives  them  over  to  a 

reprobate.  Mind)  as  thofe  fpoken  of  in  Rom.  i.  28. --Some 

indeed  are  carried  very  far  by  the  common  Influences  of 

the 


380        True  Religion  delineated  „    Dis.  II. 

the  holy  Spirit,  they  are  enlightened^  they  tafte  of  the  heavenly 
Qift^  and  of  the  Powers  of  the  World  to  come^  and  are  made 
Partakers  of  the  holy  Ghoft  \  and  yet  after  all  fall  awa)\ 
and  periih.  Heb.  6.  They  have  a  great  Senfe  of  their  fmful, 
guilty,  undone  Eftate,  of  the  Wrath  of  God,  and  Dread- 
fulnefs  of  Damnation,  and  are  mightily  brought  down  ; 
and  then  have  a  great  Senfe  of  the  Mercy  of  God,  the  dy 
ing  Love  of  Chrift,  ai;d  the  Glory  of  Heaven  :  and  they 
think  they  are  converted,    and  they  are  ravifhed  with 
the  Thought.     However,  in  the  End-all  is  turned  to  feed 
their  Pride  and  their  Prefumption,  and  to  harden  and  em 
bolden  them  in  Sin.     They  are  not  fo  much  afraid  of  Sin 
now,  ^becaufe  they  are  confident  they  fhall   never  go  to 
Hell.     And  many  Times  this  Sort  of  People,   thro'  the 
great  fwelling  of  fpiritual  Pride  and  the  immediate  Influ 
ences  of  Satan^  come  to  have  ftrange  Experiences,  and  turn 
to  be  flrange  Creatures,  and  broach  ftrange  Errors,  and 
feem  to  be  near  entirely  forfaken  by  God  and  Reafon  and 
Confcience  :  and  yet,  (yea,  and  by  the  fame  Means)  get  to 
be  the  £<?//>/?Creatures  in  the  World,  in  their  own  Account. 
—  But  while  the  Sinners  with  whom  the  holy  Spirit  ftrives, 
do  many  of  them   turn  out  after  this  Sort  •,  fome  in  one 
Way,   and  fome  in  another  •,  there  are  others  with  whom 
God  makes  thoro'  Work  •,  that  is,   makes  them  thoro'ly 
underfland  and   feel  their  fmful,  guilty,  helplefs,  undone 
Eilate,  and  fee  into  and  believe  the  Gofpel  Way  of  Sal 
vation  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  and  return  home  to  God  in  that 
Way.     And  now  they  are  kept  by  the  Power  of  God  thro* 
Faith  unto  Salvation,  i  Pet.  1.5.  And  here  God  has  Mercy 
en  whom  he  will  have  Mercy.  — r—  And  even  fp  it  has 
been  as  to  the  external  Means  of  Grace  from  the  begin 
ning  of  the  World.     With  fome,    God  has  taken  more 
Pains   and    longer  •,    and    with    others,  lefs  Pains  and 
{hotter  :  but  when  all  the  reft  of  the  World  degenerated 
to  Heathenifm,   God    took  effectual  Methods   with  the 
Ifraelites  to  keep  them  from  doing  fo  too. —  And  thus,  in 
a  refembling  Manner,  he  does  with  all  the  fpiritual  Seed 
of  Abraham,  with  his  Elect  -,  whereby  in  Spight  of  all  Op- 
pofition,  they  are  brought  to  Glory   at  laft  :  they  are  fed 
with  Manna  every   Day:  the  Pillar  jf  Cloud  by  Day,  and 

tf 


and  diftingidjhedfrom  all  Counterfeits .  381 

of  Fire  by  Night,  "is  their  continual  Guide  :  and  the  Rock 
whieb  follows  them  is  Chrift  •  i.  e.  They  are  fed  and  are 
guided,  they  live  and  are  refrefhed,  and  are  helped  to  hold 
on  their  Way,  by  continual  Influences  from  on  high,  by 
conftant  Communications  of  divine  Grace.  And  fo  the 
Path  of  the  Jutf  is  like  the  /hiring  Light  ^  'which  Jhinss  more 
find  more  to  the  perfect  'Day. 

REMARKS.  Never  is  any  poor  Sinner  under  the  Light 
of  theGofpel,by  God  palled  by,  without  ever  being  awakened 
by theHolySpirit,but  God  fees  he  is  deaf  to  the  Voice  of  his 
Word,  and  hates  to  Ije  awakened,  and  loves  to  go  on  fe- 
cure. — Never  is  any  awakened  Sinner  forfaken  by  the  Spi 
rit  of  God,  and  left  to  take  his  own  Way,  and  run  his  own 
Ruin,  but  that  firft  he  refilled  and  grieved  the  holy  Spirit, 
and  ftirled  Conviction,  and  rent  away,  as  it  were,  out  of 
God's  Hands  — And  never  is  a  poor  Sinner  favingly  bro't 
home  to  God,  and  trainerf  up  for  Heaven  ;  but  that,  from 
firft  to  laft,  it  was  absolutely  and  entirely  owing  to  the  in 
finite  Goodnefs,  free  Grace,  and  almighty  Power  of  God. 
And  indeed,  thus  will  it  appear  at  the  great  Day  of  Judg 
ment,  that  all  who  perifh  are  wholly  to  blame,  and  all  that 
are  faved  will  have  none  to  glory  in  but  the  Lord.  —  But  I 
have  elfewhere  fo  much  infifted  upon  the  Nature  of  the  In 
fluences  of  the  holy  Spirit,  that  I  muft  not  here  enlarge. 

Thus  the  Way  to  Life  is  opened  by  Chrift  Jefus,  and  all 
are  invited  to  return  and  be  faved.  And  thus  we  fee  the 
Methods  which  God  takes  for  the  Recovery  of  a  finful, 
guilty  World.  And  from  all  that  has  been  faid  we  may 
draw  thefe  INFERENCES. 

i .  It  is  undoubtedly  the  Duty  of  poor  Sinners  to  be 
deeply  affetted  with  all  thefe  wonderful  Methods  of  divine 
Grace,  and  to  Strive  and  Labour  with  the  great  eft  Painfulnefs 
and  Diligence  to  fall  in  with  the  Defign  of  the  Gofpel,  to  be 
fenfible  of  their  linful,gui}ty,undone  Eftate,  and  to  look  to 
the  free  Grace  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  for  Relief,  and  to 
repent  and  return  to  God  thro'  him,  Luk.  13.  24.  Strive 
to  enter  in  at  the  ftrait  Gate.  Some  are  of  the  Opinion,  that 
becaufe  the  beft  Sinners  can  do,  while  Enemies  to  God  in  ' 
their  Hearts,  is,  as  to  the  -Manner  of  it,  finfui  and  odious  • 
in  the  Eyes  of  the  divine- -Holinefs,  that  therefore  their  beft 

Way 


382          True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  IL 

Way  is  to  do  nothing,  but  to  fit  ftill  and  wait  for  the  Spi 
rit.  But  nothing  is  more  contrary  to  Scripture  or  Realbn. 
The  Scripture  fays,  Strive  to  enter  :  And  Reafon  teaches, 
that  when  the  God  of  Heaven,  the  great  Governour  of  the- 
World,  is  thus  coming  out  after  guilty  Rebels  in  a  Way  of 
Mercy,  it  becomes  them  to  be  deeply  affected  thereat,  and 
to  exert  all  their  rational  Powers  inOppofition  to  their  Sloth 
and  Corruptions,  labouring  to  lie  open  to  the  Means  of 
Conviction,  avoiding  every  Thing  that  tends  to  promote 
Security,  and  to  render  ineffectual  the  Methods  of  divine 
Grace,  and  practifing  every  Thing  that  teads  to  their  far 
ther  Awakening.  And  O  let  this  be  remembred,  that  it 
is  Sinners  refitting  the  Methods  of  Grace,  which  caufes 
God  to  give  them  over.  Pfal.  81.  1 1, 12,13.  But  my  Peo 
ple  would  not  hearken  to  my  Voice  :  and  Ijrael  would  none  of 
me.  So  I  gave  them  up  to  their  own  Hearts  Luft  :  and  they 
walked  in  their  own  Coimfeh.  O  that  my  People  had  hearkened 
unto  me,  and  Ifrael  had  walked  in  my  Ways  ! 

2.  From  what  has  been  faid  we  may  learn,  that  it  is 
Madnefs  and  Folly  for  poor  Sinners  to  ufe  the  Means  of 
Grace  under  a  Notion  of  doing  their  whole  Duty,   and  fo 
pacify  their  Conference.     The  Means  of  Grace  are  defigned 
in  the  firft  Place  to  convince  Sinners  of  their  finful,  guilty, 
ruined  State  -,  and  for  them  to  forget,   totally  forget,  this 
their  End,   and  to  go  about  to  attend  upon  them  under  a 
Notion*  of  doing  that  Duty  which  they  owe  to  God,  as 
fomething  in  Lieu  of  that  perfect  Obedience  which  the 
Law  requires,  is  quite  to  lofe  the  Benefit  of  the  Means  of 
Grace  ;  yea,  to  thwart  their  very  Defign  :    and  tends  to 
keep  Men  from  Conviction  and  Converfion,  and  feal  them 
down  in  fpiritual  Security. — That  which  God  directs  them 
to  do,  to  the  End  their  Confciences  might  be  more  awa 
kened,  they  do,  that  their  Confciences  might  be  more 
quieted.     The  Means  which  were  appointed  to  make  them 
more  fenfible  of  their  Need  of  Chrift  and  Grace,  they  ufe 
to  make  themfelves  the  more  infenfible  thereof. 

3.  Sinners  are  not  to  ufe  the  Means  of  Grace  under  * 
Notion  of  making  Amends  for  their  paft  Sins,  and  recom 
mending  themfelves  to  God  :  Rom.  10.  3.    Nor  under  a 
Notion  that  by  their  flrongeft  Efforts  they  lhali  be  ever  able 

to 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  383 

to  renew  their  own  Nature  :  Eph.  2.1.  Nor  under  a  No-' 
tion  they  can  do  any  Thing  at  all  to  prevail  with  God 
to  renew  them.  Rom.  11.35,  36. — But  on  the  contrary,  in 
the  Ufe  of  the  Means  of  Grace,  they  are  to  feek  for  and 
labour  after  a  thorough  Conviction,  that  they  can  neither 
make  any  Amends  for  their  paft  Sins,  nor  in  the  leaft  re, 
commend  themfelves  to  God,  that  they  cannot  renew  their 
own  Nature,  nor  in  the  leaft  move  God  to  mew  them  this 
Mercy  :  to  the  intent5that  being  thus  convinced  of  their  ru- 
ined,helplefs  State, they  may  be  prepared  to  look  to  the  free 
Mercy  and  fovereign  Grace  of  God  thro*  Chrift  for  all 
Things  :  which  is  the  very  Thing  that  the  Gofpel  aims  at. 
Rom.  3.  9. — 26.  and  which  the  Means  of  Grace  are  defign- 
ed  to  promote,  &  bring  them  to  :  and  to  which  the  Spirit 
of  God,  by  his  inward  Influences,does  in  the  Ufe  of  Means, 
finally  bring  all  who  are  faved.  Rom.  7. 8,9.  Gal.  3.  24. 

For  Sinners  to  ufe  the  Means  of  Grace  under  the  other 
Notions  aforefaid,  is  practically  to  fay,  "  We  are  not  fallen, 
"  finful,  guilty,  heplefs,  undone  Creatures,  nor  do  we  need 
"  theRedeemer  or  the  Saniclfier,  which  God  has  provided, 
"  nor  do  we  lie  at  his  Mercy,  or  intend  to  be  beholden  to 
"  his  mere  fovereign  Grace.  If  we  have  finned,  we  can 
"  make  Amends  for  it :  if  we  have  difpleafed  God, we  can 
"  pacify  him  again.  If  we  are  Wicked,  we  can  become 
"  Good  :  or  if  we  do  as  well  as  we  can,and  then  want  any 
•"  further  Help,  God  is  obliged  to  help  us." 

If  therefore  Sinners  would  take  the  wifeft  Courfe  to  be 
the  better  for  the  Ufe  of  the  Means  of  Grace,  they  muft 
try  to  fall  in  with  God's  Defign,  and  with  the  Spirit's  In 
fluences,  and  labour  to  fee  and  feel  their  fmful,  guilty, con 
demned,  helplefs,  undone  Eftate.  For  this  End,  they  muft 
forfake  vain  Company,  leave  their  Quarelling  and  Conten 
tion,  drop  their  inordinate  worlclly  Purfuits,  and  abandon 
every  Thing  which  tends  to  keep  them  fecure  in  Sin  and 
quench  the  Motions  of  the  Spirit ;  and  for  this  End  muft 
they  read,  hear,  meditate  and  pray,  compare  themfelves 
with  God's  holy  Law,  try  to  view  themfelves  in  the  fame 
Light  that  God  does,  and  pafs  the  fame  Judgment  upon 
themfelves  :  that  fo  they  may  be  in  a  Way  to  approve  of 
the  Law,  .and  to  admire  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpel,  to  .judge 

and 


384      Ttrue  Religion  delineated        Dis,  II. 

and  condemn  themfelves,  and  humbly  to  apply  to  the  free 
Grace  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  for  all  Things,  and  thro' 
Him  to  return  to  God. 

Thus  we  have  gone  thro*  what  was  propofed  under  this 
third  general  Head  :  We  have  coniidered  the  Neceffity 
there  was  of  Satisfaction  for  Sin,  and  of  a  perfe&Righteouf- 
nefs  :  We  have  confidered  what  Satisfaction  for  Sin  has 
been  made,  and  what  a  Righteoufnefs  wrought  out,  and 
wherein  their  Sufficiency  confifts  :  We  have  confidered 
how  the  Way  of  Life  has  been  opened  by  the  Means  :  and 
we  have  confidered  what  Methods  God  has  actually  entered 
upon,  for  the  Recovery  of  loft  Sinners  to  himfelf. —  And 
thus  now  upon  the  whole  we  fee,  upon  what  Grounds  the 
great  Governour  of  the  World  confidered  Mankind  as  be 
ing  in  a  perifhing  Condition,  and  whence  his  Defigns  of 
Mercy  originally  took  their  Rife,  and  what  Neceffity  there 
was  for  a  Mediator  and  Redeemer,  and  how  the  Way  to 
Life  has  been  opened  by  Him  whom  God  has  provided  : 
and  fo  may  now  pafs  to  the  next  Thing  propofed. 

SECTION    VII. 

Shewing  the  Nature  of  a  genuine  COMPLI 
ANCE  with  /^GOSPEL. 

IV.  To  mew  the  true  Nature  of  a  facing  Faith  in  Chrift. 
And  becaufe  by  the  Whole,  I  am  to  explain  the  Nature  of 
the  Gofpel,  and  of  a  genuine  Compliance  therewith,  there 
fore  I  will  begin  with  a  more  general  View  of  Things,  and 
afterv/ards  proceed  to  a  more  diftin£t  Survey  of  Faith  in 
particular. 

NOW,  a  genuine  Compliance  with  the  Gofpel,  in  gene 
ral,  confifts  in  a  fpiritual  and  divine  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the 
great  Truths  therein  prefuppofed  and  revealed ;  and  in  a 
firm  Belief  of  thofe  Truths,  and  an  anfwerable  Frame  of 
Heart.  As  is  evident  from  2  Cor.  4. 3,4,6.  i  fbef.2.  13, 
Mat.  13.23.  Job.  $.32. 

9Tis  divine  Light  imparted  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  the 
Soul,  which  lays  the  Foundation  of  all.  Mat.  11.25.  Gal. 
i,  1 6.  2  Cor,  3,  1 8,  This  ffiritual  and  divine  Light  accor 
ding 


and  diftinguifoed from  all  Counterfeits.   385 

ding  to  the  Language  of  St.  Paul,  /bines  in  the  Heart,  and 
con  fills  in  the  Knowledge  of  GLOR T,  2  Cor.  4.  6.  That  is, 
in  a  Strife  of  MORAL  BEAUTY,  a  &#/£  of  that  Beauty  there 
is  in  the  MORAL  PERFECTIONS  of  GOD,and  in  all  fpiritual 
and  divine  Things,  that  HOLY  BEAUTY  which  is  peculiar 
to  Ipiritual  and  divine  and  holy  Things,  of  which  every 
unholy  Heart  is  perfectly  infenfible.  i  Job.  i.  3.  6.  And 
by  //,  Things  are  made  to  appear  to  us  in  a  Meafure  as  they 
do  to  God  himfelf,  and  to  the  Angels  &  Saints  in  Heaven. 
And  fo  by  //,  we  are  made  to  change  our  Minds,  and  are 
brought  to  be  of  God's  Mind  concerning  Things.  And 
fo  we  are  hereby  difpofed  to  underiland,  believe,  entertain, 
and  embrace  the  Gofpel.  Job.  8.  47. 

GOD  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  who  fees  all 
Things  as  being  what  they  are,  does  in  the  Gofpel  confi- 
tier  Mankind  as  perijbing^  as  fallen,  finful,  guilty,  juftly 
condemned,  helplefs  and  undone.  He  looks  upon  the 
original  Conflitution  with  Adam  as  holy,  juft  and  good  ; 
and  that  by  and  according  to  that  Conilitution,  he  might 
have  damned  the  whole  human  Race,  confident  with  his 
Goodnefs,  and  to  the  Honour  of  his  Holinefs  and  Juftice  : 
He  looks  upon  the  Law  of  Nature  as  holy,  juft  and  good  ; 
and  that  by  and  according  to  that,  he  might  damn  a  guilty 
World,  confident  with  his  Goodnefs,  and  to  the  Honour  of 
his  Holinefs  and  Juftice.  Now  by  this  divine  Light  we  are 
brought  to  look  upon  Things  as  God  does,  and  to  have 
an  anfwerable  Frame  of  Heart. 

Again,  GOD  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  who 
fees  all  Things  as  being  what  they  are,  does  in  the  Gofpei 
confider  a  guilty  World  as  lying  at  his  Mercy.  He  /aw 
that  he  was  under  no  Obligations  to  pity  them  in  the  leaft, 
or  in  the  leaft  to  mitigate  their  Puniihment :  much  lefe 
under  any  Obligations  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son,  thac 
whofoever  believes  in  him,  fhould  not  perifh,  but  have  ever- 
lading  Life  :  and  dill  much  lefs  under  any  Obligations, 
by  his  holy  Spirit  to  fubdue  and  recover  fuch  obdinate  Re 
bels,  who  hate  him  and  his  Son,  his  Law  and  his  Gofpel, 
and  are  perfectly  averfe  to  a  Return.  He  faw  a  guilty 
World  lie  at  his  Mercy  ;  and  that  he  was  at  Liberty  to 
have  Mercy  or  not  to  have  Mercy,  according  to -his.  lore- 

C  c  reiga 


386          Irue  Religion  delineated     Dis.  IL 

reign  Pleafure  ;  and  that  it  was  fit  &  becoming  his  glorious 
Majefty  to  aft  as  a  Sovereign  in  this  Affair.  And  now  by 
this  divine  Light  we  are  brought  to  look  upon  Things  as 
God  does,  and  to  have  an  anfwerable  Frame  of  Heart. 

Again,  GOD  the  greatGovernour  of  the  World,  who 
fees  all  Things  as  being  what  they  are,  at  the  fame  Time 
that  he  defigns  Mercy  for  a  guilty  World,  does  confider  a 
Mediator  as  being  neceiTary  to  anfwer  the  Demands  of  the 
broken  Law,  and  fecure  the  divine  Honour.  In  fuch  a 
ferifhing  Condition  he  fees  Mankind  ;  fo  guilty,  fo  juilly 
condemned,  that  it  would  be  inconfiftent  with  the  divine 
Perfections,  and  contrary  to  all  good  Rules  of  Government, 
to  pardon  &  fave  fuch  wickedHell-defervingRebels,  without 
fbme  proper  Atonement  for  their  Sin  and  fuitable  Honour 
done  to  his  Law.  But  the  Honour  of  his  Holinefs  and 
Juftice,  Law  and  Government  is  facred  in  his  Eyes,  and  of 
infinite  Importance^  and  muft  be  maintained  :  better  the 
whole  World  be  dan\ned  than  they  in  the  leaft  .be  fullied. 
And  now  by  this  dhint  Light  we  are  brought  to  look  upon 
Things  as  God  does,  and  to  have  an  anfwerable  Frame  of 
Heart. 

Moreover,  GOD  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  who 
fees  all  Things  as  being  what  they  are,  views  his  only  be 
gotten  Son  as  a  meet  Perfon  for  a  Mediator,  and  himfelf 
as  having  fufficient  Power  to  authorize  him  to  the  Work. 
Of  his  fovereign  Self-moving  Goodnefs,  he,  in  his  infinite 
Wifdom,  contrives  the  whole  Scheme,  lays  the  whole  Plan, 
and  puts  his  Defign  in  Execution  ;  the  Door  of  Mercy  is 
opened,  the  News  of  Pardon  and  Peace  is  fent  thro'  a  guilty 
World,  and  all  are  invited  to  return  home  to  God  thro* 
Jefus  Chrift  :  and  God  looks  upon  this  Way  of  Salvation 
as  being  glorious  for  God,  and  fafe  for  the  poor  Sinner. 
And  now  by  this  divine  Light  we  are  brought  rightly  to 
xmderftand  thefe  Things,  and  look  upon  them  as  God  does, 
and  believe  them,&  to  have  an  anfwerableFrame  ofHeart. 

Laftly,  GOD  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  does, 
in  the  Gofpel,  confider  our  return  unto  him  thro'  Jefus 
Chrift,  not  only  as  a  Duty  to  which  we  are  under  infinite 
Obligations,  but  alfo  as  a  Priviledge  of  infinite  Value  ;..and 
m  this  View  of  the  Cafe,  he  commands  and  invites  us  to  re 
turn, 


and  dijtmg'uijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  387 

turn.  And  now  by  this  divine  Light  we  are  brought  to  look 
upon  this  alib  as  God  does,  and  to  judge  it  the  fitteft  and 
bappieft  Thing  in  the  World  to  return  unto  him  thro'  Jefus 
Chriit,  and  to  have  an  anfwerable  Frame  of  Heart.  For, 

By  this  'Light  we  come  to  have  a  right  View  of  the  moil 
high  GOD,  to  fee  him  in  a  Meafure  as  the  Angels  and 
Saints  in  Heaven  do,  to  fee  him  in  his  infinite Greatnefs  and 
Majefly,  and  in  the  infinite  Glory  and  Beauty  of  hisNature. 
And  hence  we  are  made  fenfible  that  he  is  infinitely  worthy 
of  the  higheft  Efteem,  Reverence,  Love,  Delight,  and  of 
univerfal  Obedience.  And  hence  we  fee  that  we  in  parti 
cular  are  under  infinite  Obligations  to  love  him  with  all 
our  Hearts,  and  obey  him  in  every  Thing — and  that  to  do 
fo,  is  the  happieft  Thing  in  the  World — that  not  to  do  fo, 
is  infinitely  wrong —  and  deferves  an  infinite  Punifhment. 
And  thus  we  fee  the  Grounds  of  the  Law  of  Nature,  the 
Reafons  from  whence  it  refults,  and  with  all  our  Hearts 
confent  to  it  and  approve  of  it  as  holy,  juft  and  good.  And 
this  naturally  lays  the  Foundation  for  us  rightly  to  under 
ftand  and  heartily  to  approve  of  the  original  Conftitution 
with  Adam. — And  while  we  behold  God  in  his  infinite 
Glory,  and  view  the  Law  as  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  fee 
our  infinite  Obligations  perfectly  to  conform  unto  it :  now 
our  univerfal  Depravity  and  infinite  ill  Defert  appears  in  a 
clear  &  divineLight.  Hence  it  appears,we  lie  atMercy,and 
that  it  is  fit  he  fhould  haveMercy  on  whom  he  will,  that  it 
becomes  theMajefty  of  Heaven  to  act  as  aSovereign  in  this 
Affair.  And  it  appears,  that  there  is  no  Motive  in  us  to 
excite  his  Compaffions  ;  but  infinitely  to  the  contrary :  and 
hence  the  Heart  is  prepared  to  difcern  the  Freenefs  of  di 
vine  Grace,  and  to  perceive  that  the  Goodnefs  of  the  divine 
Nature  muft  be  felf-moving  ;  and  alfo  to  underftand  the 
Need  there  is  of  a  Mediator  to  fecure  the  divine  Honour  : 
for  Creatures  fo  bad  appear  too  vile  to  be  relieved,  unlefs 
Juftice  may  firft  be  fatisfied  •,  'tis  contrary  toLaw,and  con 
trary  to  Reafon  that  they  fhould.  —  And  while  we  view 
thefe  Things,  and  have  a  divine  Senfe  of  *them  on  our 
Hearts,  we  arc  hereby  prepared  to  underftand  the  Way  of 
Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  as  revealed  in 
the  Gofpel.  And  now  a  Senfe  of  the  glorious  Freenefs  of 
-  C  c  2  divine 


388          True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

divine  Grace,  the  Excellency  and  Sufficiency  of  Chrift,  and 
the  readinefs  of  God  to  be  reconciled  to  returning  Sinners 
thro'  him,  lays  the  Foundation  for  Faith  and  Hope.  *  — 
And  ail  this  while,  there  is  fecretly  enkindling  in  theHeart, 
a  moil  genuine  Difpofition  to  return  home  to  God,  to  love 
him  and  live  to  him,  arifmg  from  a  Senfe  of  the  ineffable 
Glory  and  Beauty  of  the  divine  Nature  :  for  he  appears  glo 
rious  in  Holinefs,  Juftice,  Goodnefs  and  Grace  ;  and  glo 
rious  in  his  Sovereignty  and  in  his  Majefty,  as  fupreme 
Lord  and  high  Governour  of  the  whole  World.  —  Upon 
the  whole,  with  utmofl  Solemnity,  as  being  in  our  felves 
infinitely  unfit  for  the  divine  Favour,  we  venture  our  eter 
nal  All  upon  Jefus  Chrift  as  M&to0r,relying  on  hisWorth 
and  Merits,and  trufcing  to  the  mere  free  Mercy  of  God  thro' 
him  for  Pardon  aad  Grace  and  Glory,  and  hence  are  en 
couraged  and  emboldened  with  our  whole  Hearts  to  return 
home  to  God  thro'  him,  and  give  up  our  felves  to  God  for 
ever,  to  love  him  and  live  to  him,  and  live  upon  him  for 
ever,  lamenting  that  ever  we  finned  againft  him,  refolving 
to  cleave  to  him  with  all  our  Hearts,  and  never,  never  to 
depart  from  him.  Heb.  4.  16.  &?  10.  19  —  22.  Eph.  2.18. 
Job.  14.  6.  Rom.  3.  24,  25,  26.  —  And  thus,  by  this  divine 
Ligh^  imparted  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  is  the  Soul  finally 
brought  to  unite  to  Chrift  by  Faith,  and  to  return  home  to 
God  thro'  him.  Joh.  6.  44,45.  No  Man  can  come  to  me, 
except  the  Father  draw  him.  —  ¥hey  Jhall  be  all  taught  of  God. 
Every  Man  therefore  that  hath  heard  and  learned  of  the  'Fa- 


*  All  thefe  Things  (altho*  it  takes  confiderable  Time  to  exprefs  them  in 
order)  may,  for  Subftance,  inftanrly  open  to  View,  and  the  Soul  im 
mediately  acquiefce  in  the  Gofpel  Scheme  and  clofe  with  Chrift  j  /#- 
flantly,  I  fay,  upon  DIVINE  LIGHT's  being  imparted  to  the  Soul. 
But  the  Mind,  in  that  folemn  and  awful  Hour,  may  efpecially  fix  only 
upon  fome  Particulars  ;  and  fo  a  Remembrance  of  thefe  may  remain, 
while  other  Particulars,  which  were  then  in  View,  can't  afterwards 
be  recollected.  Hence,  fome  may  doubt  whether  their  Jirft  Att  of 
faith  was  right.  The  befi:  Way,  to  remove  fuch  Fears,  is  to  live  in 
the  Exercife  of^aith  every  Day.  For  when  thefe  Views,  and  a  conf- 
cioufnefs  of  them,  become  habitual,  our  Scruples  will  ceafe  of  Ceurfe. 
The  fpecial  Nature  of  our  Faith  may  be  learnt  from  the  after  Aft;, 
as  well  as  by  the/r/?  AS  ;  for  the  after  A8s  will  be  of  the  fame  Na- 
jure  with  the/*/,  1«  our  jFW.*£  be  true  or  &lfe.  j 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  3  8  9 

tber,  cometh  unto  me.  And  from  what  has  been  faid  con 
cerning  the  Nature  of  the  Gofpel,  it  is  Self-evident,  that 
herein  confifts  a  genuine  Compliance  therewith.  For  all 
this  is  only  to  fee  Things  as  being  what  they  are,  and  to  be 
affected  and  aft  accordingly. 

REMARK  i.  This  is  peculiar  to  a  genuine  Compliance 
with  the  Gofpel,  and  that  whereby  it  is  fpecifically  diffe 
rent  from  all  Counterfeits,  namely,  it's  being  founded  in, 
and  refu king -from,  this  divine  Light  ;  whereby  we  are 
brought,  not  merely  in  Speculation,  but  in  Heart,  to  look 
upon  Things  as  God  does.  He  fees  all  Things  as  they  are  5 
and  therefore  when  any  poor  Sinner  is  brought  to  a  right 
View  of  Things,  i.  e.  to  fee  them  as  they  are,  he  muft  by 
Confequence  look  upon  them  as  God  does.  Now  all  others 
being  blind  and  ignorant  in  Scripture  Account,  hence  this 
true  Sight  and  Senfe  of  Things  is  very  peculiar  and  diftin- 
guifhing.  And  hence  we  may  obferve,  that  it  is  mentioned 
as  being  peculiar  to  the  Good-Ground-Hearers,  in  Mat. 
13.25.  ^hat  they  heard  the  Word  and  UNDERSTOOD  it.  And 
Chrift  intimates  that  none  but  his  true  Difciples  KNOW  THE 
TRUTH.  Job.  8.  31,  32.  And  the  Gofpel  is  again  &  again 
faid  to  be  hid  from  all  others.  Mat.  11.25.  2  Cor.  4.  3. 
And  they  only  have  it  REVEALED  unto  them.  Mat. 11.25. 
They  only  have  the  Vail  taken  off  from  their  Hearts.  2  Cor. 
3.14 — 17.  And  they  only  behold  with  OPEN  FACE.  Ver.  18. 

2.  This  fpiritual  and  divine-  Light  lays  the  Foundation 
For  a  new  Kind  of  Belief  of  the  Gofpel.     A   Sight  of  the 
divine  Beauty  and  Glory  of  the  Gofpel  Scheme,  convinces 
and  affures  the  Heart  that  it  is  divine,  and  indeed  from 
God,  and  not  a  cunningly  devifed  Fable.    This  is  an  Evi 
dence  peculiar  to  the  Regenerate,  and  of  all  others  it  is 
unfpeakably  the  moft   fatisfadory.     See  this  largely  ex 
plained  and  proved  in  Mr.  Edwards 's  Treatife  on  religious 
Affeftions.  Page,  182 — 199. 

3.  Regeneration,  Faith,  Repentance  and  Cohver-fion  -are 
in  their  own  Nature  connected  together,  and  fo  they  are 
in  this  Reprefentation.  In  Regeneration  we  receive  this  di 
vine  Light,  this  new  fpiritual  Senfe  of  Things.    Our-Rfe-, 
are  opened,  and  we  are  brought  out  of  Darknefs  into  this 
Marvellous  Light ;  rind  fo  come  to  have  a  ridit  View  of 

C  c  2  God; 


39°        True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

God,  of  our  Selves,  of  Chrift,  and  of  the  Gofpel  Way  of 
Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro'  him. —  This  fpiritual  Illumi 
nation  lays  the  Foundation  for  Faith,  Repentance  and  Cpn- 
verfion.  It  difcovers  the  Grounds  of  Faith,  of  Repentance 
and  Converfion  \  and  we  believe,  we  repent  and  convert. 
Repentance  towards  God?  and  Faith  towards  cur  Lord  -Jefus 
£#n/?,always  go  together.  ./#?.  20.  21.  And  theGofpel  calls 
Sinners  to  repent  and  be  converted,  as  well  as  to  believe  in 
Chrift.y#?.  3.  19.  Thofe  therefore  who  feem-to  have  much 
Light  and  Faith  and  Joy,  but  have  no  Repentance,  nor  do 
turn  to  God  with  all  their  Hearts,  are  deluded. 

4.  Spiritual  Light  and  true  Faith  are  always  in  Propor 
tion.  A  fpiritual  Senfe  of  God,  of  ourSelves,  of  Chrift, 
and  of  the  Gofpel  Way  of  Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro' 
him,  lays  the  Foundation  for  Faith  •,  and  Faith  naturally 
refults  therefrom  ;  as  has  be^n  obferved,  and  as  is  evident 
from  Job.  6.  45.  And  therefore  from  the  Nature  of  the 
Cafe,  they  muft  be  in  equal  Degree  in  the  Heart.  And 
therefore  thofe  who  pretend  to  live  by  Faith,  when  they 
are  fpiritually  blind  and  dead,  do  but  deceive  themfelves. 
Nor  is  what  they  plead  from  Ifai.  50  10.  at  all  to  the 
Purpofe  :  Who  is  among  you  that  fear eth  the  Lord.,  that 
cbeyctb  the  Voice  of  his  Servant ,  that  walketh  in  Darknefs  and 
hath  no  Light  ?  Let  him  truft  in  the  Lord,  and  flay  tipon  his 
God.  Becaufe.  i.  The  Perfons  here  fpoken  of  were  not 
fpiritually  blind  and  dead,  but  had  a  fpiritual  Senfe  of  God 
and  divine  Things  on  their  Hearts  j  for  they  feared  the 
Lord  and  obeyed  his  Voice ;  fo  that  they  lived  in  the  Exer- 
cife  of  Grace,  and  walked  in  the  Ways  of  Holinefs, 
which  without  fpiritual  Light  had  been  impoflible'.  And 
• —  2,  What  they  were  in  the  Dark  about,  was,  how  or  by 
\yhat  Means  the  Children  of  Ijrael  fhould  ever  be  brought 
out  of  ihtBabyhnifh  Captivity,  back  again  to  Zion  ;  which 
they  knew  God  had  promifed,  but  they  could  fee  no  Way 
wherein  it  could  be  brought  about.  In  this  Refpect  they 
walked  in  Darknefs  and  could  fee  no  Light,  and  therefore 
they  are  exhorted  to  put  their  Truft  in  the  Lord,  whofe 
Wifdom,  Power  and  Faithfulneis  are  infinite.  This  is 
evidently  the  meaning  of  the  Words,  as  is  manifeft  from 
the  Scope  and  Teuour  of  the  Prophet's  Difcourfe  thro'  <ill 

the 


and  diflinguiftied  from  all  Counterfeits.   391 

die  ten  preceeding  Chapters,  which  was  calculated  for  the 
Support  and  Comfort  of  the  Godly  in  the  Babylonifh  Cap 
tivity,  by  alluring  them  of  a  Return.  *  Nor  what  isfaid 
about  Abraham^  that  again/I  Hepe,  he  believed  in  Hope. — 
Nor  what  is  faid  by  St.  Paul,  We  walk  by  Faith  and  not  by 
Sight ) —  any  Thing  to  their  Purpofe :  unlefs  they  fuppofe, 
that  Abraham  and  Paul,  and  the  primitive  Chriilians  iu 
general,  were  as  dead  and  blind  and  carnal  as  themfelves,. 
— The  Truth  is,  that  this  blind  Faith  is  the  very  fame 
Thing,  which  the  Apeftle  James  calls  a  dead  Faith. 

5.  Evangelical  Humiliation  and  true  Faith  are  likewife 
always  in  Proportion.  Evangelical  Humiliation  confiils 
in  a  Senfe.of  our  own  Sinfulnefs,  Vilenefs,  Odioufnefs  and 
Ill-Defert,  and  in  a  Difpofition  thence  refulting  to  lie  down 
ki  the  Duft  full  of  Self-loathing  and  Self- abhorrence,  abafed 
before  the  Lord,  really  accounting  our  felves  infinitely  too 
bad  ever  to  venture  to  come  into  the  divine  Prefencein  our 
own  Names,  or  to  have  a  Thought  of  Mercy  from  God 
on  the  Account  of  our  own  Goodnefs.  And  it  is  this 
which  makes  us  fenfible  of  our  Need  of  a  Mediator,  and 
makes  us  defire  to  be  found  not  in  our  felves  but  in  Chrift, 
not  having  on  our  own  Righteoufnefs  but  his.  No  farther 
therefore  than  thefe  Views  and  this  Temper  prevails  in  us, 
fhall  we  truly  difcern  any  Need  of  Chrift,  ,or  be  heartily 
inclined  to  have  any  Refpeclt  to  him  as  a  Mediator  between 
God  and  us.  There  can  therefore  be  no  more  of  true 
Faith  in  Exercife  than  there  is  of  this  true  Humility, 
"When  Men  therefore  appear  righteous  in  their  own  Eyes, 
;and  look  upon  themfelves  as  deferving  well  at  the  Hands 

C  c  4  of 

*  The  three  firft  Verfes  of  the  next  Chapter,  (Ifai.  51.  i,  2,  3.)  do,  I 
think,  confirm  the  above  Interpretation  of  Ifai.  50.  10.  Altho'  I 
Doubt  ^not,  the  Prophet's  Difcourfe,  thro'  the  abovefaid  ten  Chapters, 
has  a  farther  Look  to  the  Mejfiafrs  Kingdom,  and  our  Redemption 
out  of  atypical  Babylon*  But  let  theWords  be  considered  in  eitherview, 
or  only  confidered  in  themfelves  abfolutely,  'tis  plain,  they  never  were 
defigned  to  comfortSto^-GraWHearers,  when  theirReligion  is  all  worn 
out,&  they  become  deadj>lind  &  carnal  *9  and  fo  full  ofDoubts  &  Fears : 
Nor  do  they  mean  to  embolden  fueh  "  firmly  to  believe  they  are  in  « 
"  goodEftate,tho'  ever  fo  much  in  tbeDark,  i  e.  Tho'tbeyfee  noGrace 
"  in  their  Hearts,  nor  Signs  of  any :"  For  the  Words  are  directed  ?>$ 
tgthofc  who  fear ^  the  fyrd,  and  obey  tbt  Voice  oflkis  Servant* 


392        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

of  God  on  the  Account  of  their  own  Goodnefs,  they  can  feel 
no  Need  of  a  Mediator,  nor  at  Heart  have  any  Refpect  to 
Chrift  under  that  Character.  £#£.5.31.-—  This  condemns 
the  Faith  of  the  Self-righteous  Formalift^  who  depends  upon 
his  being  confcientious  in  his  Ways,  and  upon  his  fmcerely 
endeavouring  to  do  as  well  as  he  can,  to  recommend  him 
to  God.  And  this  condemns  alfo  the  Faith  of  the  prcud 
Enthujtafti  who  appears  fo  Good  in  his  own  Eyes,  fo  far 
from  a  legal  Spirit,  fo  purely  Evangelical,  fo  full  of  Light 
and  Knowledge,  Humility  and  Love,  Zeal  and  Devotion, 
as  that  from  a  Senfe  of  his  own  Goodnefs,  and  how  greatly 
beloved  he  is  in  the  Sight  of  God,  he  is  encouraged,  and 
elevated,  and  feels  greatly  emboldned  to  come  into  the 
Prefence  of  God,  and  draw  near,  and  come  even  to  his 
Seat,  and  ufe  Familiarity  and  Boldnefs  with  God,  as  tho* 
he  was  almoft  an  Equal.  Such  are  fo  far  from  any  true 
Senfe  of  their  Need  of  Chrift,  as  that  they  rather  feel  more 
fit  to  be  Mediators  &  IntercefTors  in  Behalf  of  others,  than 
to  want  one  for  themfelves.  And  it  is  the  Way  of  fuch, 
from  that  great  Senfe  they  have  of  their  own  Goodnefs, 
to  make  bold  with  God,  and  to  make  bold  with  Chrift, 
in  their  Prayers,  as  if  they  felt  themfelves  pretty  nigh  upon 
a  Level. — Of  all  Men  in  the  World,  I  am  ready  to  think, 
that  God  looks  upon  thefe  the  worft,  and  hates  them  the 
moil.  Luk.  18.9 — 14.  Ifai.  65.  5.  But  did  they  know  it; 

they  would  hate  him  as  entirely  as  he  does  them. 

Hypocrites  of  all  Sorts  fail  in  this  Point  j  they  fee  no  real 
Need  of  Chrift ;  they  are  not  fo  bad,  but  that  to  their  own 
Senfe  and  Feeling,  they  might  be  pardoned  and  faved  by 
the  free  Mercy  of  God,  without  any  Mediator.  Hence 
they  do  not  underftand  the  Gofpel,  'tis  all  Foolifhnefs  to 
them,  i  Cor.  2.  14. 

6.  It  is  a  fpirituai  Senfe  and  firm  Belief  of  the  Truths 
of  the  Gofpel,  which  encourages  the  Heart  to  truft  inChrift. 
Job.  6.  45.  That  the  Goodnefs  of  God  is  infinite,  and 
ielf-  moving  :  that  Chrift,  as  Mediator,  has  fecured  the 
Honour  oi:  God  the  moral  Governour  of  the  World,  and 
opv:;ic;d  a  Way  for  the  free  and  honourable  Exercife  of  his 
~e  ;  that  thro3  Chrift,  God  the  fupreme  Governour  of 
the  World  is  actually  ready  to  be  reconciled,  and  invites 

all, 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  393 

all,  the  vileft  not  excepted,  to  return  to  him  in  this  Way. 
Thefe  Truths,  being  fpiritually  underftood  and  firmly  be 
lieved,  convince  the  Heart  of  the  Safety  of  trailing  in 
Chrift,  and  encourage  it  fo  to  do.  Heb.io.iq.  Mat.  22.4. 

7.  Saving  Faith  confifts  in  that  entire  Trull,  Reliance, 
or  Dependance  on  Jefus  Chrift  the  great  Mediator,  his  Sa 
tisfaction  and  Merits,  Mediation  and  Interceffion,  which 
the  humbled  Sinner  has,  whereby  he  is  embolden'd  to  re^ 
turn  home  to  God  in  Hopes  of  Acceptance,  and  is  encou 
raged  to  look  to  and  truft  in  God  thro'  him  for  that  com- 
pleat  Salvation  which  is  offered  in  the  Gofpel. —  The  op- 
pofite  tojuflifying  Faith,  is  a  felt- righteous  Spirit  &  Tem 
per,  whereby  a  Man,  from  a  Conceit  of  and  Reliance  upon 
his  own  Goodnefs,  is  emboldened  and  encouraged  to  truft 
and  hope  in  the  Mercy  of  God.  Heb.  10.  19.  23.  Luk.iS. 
9 —  1 4.  And  accordingly, when  fuch  fee  how  bad  they  really 
are,  their  Faith  fails,  they  naturally  think  that  God  can't 
find  in  his  Heart  to  mew  Mercy  to  fuch. 

8.  Faith  emboldens  the  Heart.     In  a  legal  Humiliation, 
which  is  antecedent  to  fpiritual  Light,  the  Sinner  is  brought 
to  a  Kind  of  Defpair  : .  The  Things,  which  ufed  to  embol 
den  him,  do  now  entirely  fail :  Fie  finds  no  Good  in  him 
felf;   yea,  he  feels  himfelf  dead  in  Sin ;  and  upon  this,  his 
Heart  dies  within  him.     /  was  alive  without  the  Law  once ; 
but  when  the  Commandment  came^  Sin  revived,  and  /  died^ 
Rom.  7.  9.    And  by  fpiritual  Light,  in  evangelical  Hu 
miliation,  his  undone  Eftate  in  and  of  himfelf  is  made  ftill 
more  plain. — But  now  Faith  emboldens  the  Heart,  begets 
new  Courage,  lays  the  Foundation  for  a  new  Kind  of  Hope, 
a  Hope  fpringing  entirely  from  a  new  Foundation.    Heb. 
10. 1 9.  Having  therefore  Brethren,  BOLD  NESS  to  enter  into  the 
Holieft^  by  the  Blood  of  Jefus. — Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true 
Heart  infull^jjuranceofFaith. — ByFaiththeHeart  is  embol 
dened — i .  ¥0  return  home  to  God  in  Hopes  of  Acceptance.   A 
fpiritual  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the  ineffable  Beauty  of  the  di 
vine  IVature,  begets  a  Difpofition  to  look  upon  it  the  fitteft 
and  happieft  Thing  in  the  World,  to  love  God  with  all  the 
Heart,  and  be  entirely  devoted  to  him  for  ever ;  and  inkin- 
dles  an  Inclination  to  return  and  everlaftingly  give  up  and 
confecrate  our  felves  unto  him.     "  But  may  fuch  a  Wretch 

*  as 


394          True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

as  I  be  the  Lord's  ?  Will  he  accept  me  ?"  Now  the  Be 
liever,  underftanding  the  Way  of  Acceptance  by  Chrift, 
and  feeing  the  Safety  of  it,  ventures  his  All  upon  this  fure 
Foundation,  and  hereby  is  emboldened  to  return.  Heb. 
j  i .  6.  He  that  cometh  to  God  mufl  believe  that  he  is?  and 
that  he  is  a  Rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  feek  him.  i.  e. 
firft,  He  mufl  fee  what  God  is,  behold  him  in  his  .Glory, 
or  he  can't  in  a  genuine  Manner  defire  to  come  to  him  : 
and  fecondly,  He  muft  fee  that  he  is  ready  to  be  reconciled 
unto  and  to  fave  thofe,  that  from  a  genuine  Defire  to  be  his, 
do  heartily  return  to  hjm  thro'  the  Mediator  he  has  ap 
pointed  ;  or  elfe  he  will  not  dare  to  come.  But  when  both 
thefe  are  feen  and  believed,  now  the  Soul  will  return  and 
come,  and  give  up  it  felf  to  God,  to  be  the  Lord's  for 
ever.  —  2.  Faith  in  Chrift  emboldens  the  Heart  to  look  to 
and  trufl  in  the  free  Grace  of  God  thro'  him,  for  allThings 
that  juft  fuch  a  poor  Creature  wants,  even  for  all  Things 
offered  in  the  Gofpel  to  poor  Sinners.  Heb.  4.  16.  Let  us 
therefore  come  BOLDLY  to  the  Throne  of  Grace ',  that  we  may 
obtain  Mercy  and  find  Grace.  Pardoning  Mercy  and  fandti- 
fying  Grace  are  the  two  great  Benefits  of  the  new  Cove 
nant  :  and  thefe  are  the  two  great  Things  which  an  in-? 
lightned  Soul  feels  the  want  of,  and  for  which  he  is  env 
boldened  to  come  to  God  by  Jefus  Chrift. — r  /  will  be  to 
them  a  God,  and  they  Jhdl  be  to  me  a  People ,  faith  the  Lord 
in  the  new  Covenant  :  and  this  is  all  my  Sahatzan,  and  all 
my  Defire ',  faith  the  Believer. 

9.  The  Word  FAITH  in  Scripture  is  evidently  ufed 
in  various  Senfes.  Or  thus,  there  are  various  different 
Exercifes  of  a  godly  Soul,  all  which  in  Scripture  are  called 
FAITH.  For  I  mean  here  to  leave  out  all  thofe  Sorts  of 
Faitb  fpoken  of  in  Scripture,  which  the  unregenerate  Man 
is  capable  of.  —  i.  It  is  the  Way  of  godly  Men  to  live 
under  a  fpiritual  Senfe  of  God,  his  Being  and  Perfections, 
and  Government  of  the  World,  and  the  Glory,  Reality  and 
Importance  of  divine  and  eternal  Things  :  even  under 
fuch  a  living  Senfe  of  thefe  Things,  as  that  they  are  firmly 
believed^  and  are  made  to  influence  them  as  tho'  they  were 
feen.  Hence  they  are  faid  to  look  at  Ihings  which  are  un- 
feen.  2  Cor.  4,  18.  To  fee  him  who  is  invifible,  Heb.  11-  27* 

And 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  395 

And  are  faid  to  walk  £jypAiTH.  2  Cor.  5. 7.  And  this  feems 
to  be  the  Meaning  of  the  Word  FAITH,  as  it  is  ufed  in 
Heb.  1 1 .  where  we  read  of  what  Abel,  Enoch,  Noah,  Abra 
ham,  Ifaac,  Jacob,  and  Mofes^did  by  FAITH.  Their  Faith 
was  theSubftance  of 'Things  hoped  for,  and  Evidence  of  Things 
not  feen.  i.  e.  It  made  divine  and  eternal  Things  as  it  were 
fubfift  in  all  theirGlory  and  Importance  before  their  Minds, 
and  appear  as  evident  as  tho'they  were  feen.  $.  i . —  2.  It  is 
the  Way  of  godly  Men  to  live  under  a  fpiritual  Senfe  of 
the  divineAll-furficiency,whereby  they  are  influenced^nw/y 
to  believe  that  God  is  able  to  do  all  Things  for  them, and  be 
all  to  them,  v/hich  they  can  poflibly  Need  in  Time  and  to 
Eternity  •,  by  all  which,  they  are  influenced  to  live  in  a 
-W^ay  of  continual  Dependence  upon  him  for  all  Things. 
And  this  is  what,  in  the  Book  of  Pfalms  and  elfewhere,  is 
called  trufting  in  the  Lord,  waiting  and  leaning  upon  the 
Lord,  making  him  our  Refuge.  This  Temper  is  exprefled 
in  Pfal.  73.  25,  26.  Whom  have  I  in  Heavsn  but  thee  ?  And 
there  is  none  upon  Earth  that  I  defire  befide  thee.  My  Flejh 
and  my  Heart  faileth  :  But  God  is  the  Strength  of  my  Heart, 
and  my  Portion  for  ever.  And  /.  28.  //  is  -good  for  me  to 
draw  mar  to  God :  I  have  put  my  Truft  in  the  Lord. —  3.  It 
is  the  Way  of  godly  Men  to  live  under  a  fpiritual  Senfe  of 
God  as  the  great  GOVERNOUR  of  the  World,  to  whom  it 
belongs  to  maintain  the  Rights  of  the  God-Head,  and  the 
Honour  of  the  Law  -,  and  under  a  Senfe  of  themfelves  as 
poor  Sinners,  worthy  only  of  Deftruclion  according  to  Law 
and  Juftice,  and  too  bad  to  be  pitied  or  to  have  any  Mercy 
fhewn  them  without  fome  fufficient  Salvo  to  the  divine 
Honour  -,  and  under  a  Senfe  of  Chrift  as  a  ?V!EDIATOR  ap 
pointed  to  be  a  Propitiation  for  Sin,  to  declare  God's 
Righteoufnefs  and  fecure  the  divine  Honour,  and  fo  open 
a  Way  whereinGod  might  be  juft  and  yet  juftify  theSinner 
that  believes  in  Jefus  :  even  under  fuch  a  living  Senfe  of 
thefe  Things,  as  that  they  are  firmly  believed  -,  whereby  they 
are  influenced  not  to  draw  nigh  to  God  in  their  own 
Names,  emboldened  by  their  own  Goodnefs ;  but  only  in 
the  Name  of  Chrift,  DEPENDING  ENTIRELY  upon  him, 
and  EMBOLDEN'D  ONLY  by  his  Worth  and  Merits,  Media 
tion  and  Intercefiion,  to  look  for  Acceptance  in  the  Sight 

of 


396          True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

of  God.  Hence,  becaufe  of  this  Dependance,  they  are  faid 
to  pray  in  Chrift' s  Name.  Joh.  16.  23.  To  have  accefs  to 
God  by  him.  Eph.  2.  18.  To  £0w*  to  God  thro'  him.  Heb. 
7.25.  ST0  believe  in  God  by  him.  i  Pet.  i.  21.  And  arc 
reprefented  as  being  EMBOLDENED  by  his  Worth  and 
Merits,  Mediation  and  IntercefTion,to  approach  the  Majefty 
of  Heaven.  Heb.  4.  16.  and  10.  19.  And  now  this  is  called 
a  coming  to  Chrift.  Joh.  7.  37.  A  receiving  him.  Joh.  1.12. 
A  believing  in  Chrift.  Joh.  3.  15,  16.  A  believing  ON 
Chrift.  Joh.  3.  1 8,  36.  A  believing  in  HIS  NAME.  Joh.  1.12. 
And  a  TRUSTING  /'»  Chrift.  Eph.  i.  12,  13.  And  this  is 
/to  y#7  of  Faith  by  which  we  are  juftified  and  intitled  to 
Life,  as  is  evident  from  Rom.  3.  24,  25,  26.  Where  it  is, 

by  the  Apoftle,  called,  Faith  in  Chrift' s  Blood. The 

Apoftle  conficfers  God  as  the  righteous  Governour  of  the 
World.  (Chap.  i.  18.)  All  Mankind  as  being  guilty  before 
God.  (Chap.  3.  9 — 19.)  Chrift  as  being  fit  forth  to  be  a 
Propitiation  for  Sin.  ($.  2$.)  ^hat  God  might  be  juft  and 
yet  jufiify  &c.  (y.  26.)  And  affirms  that  we  zxz  juftified 
by  free  Grace  thro*  the  REDEMPTION  that  is  in  Jefus  Chrift. 
(tf.  24.)  By  Faith  without  the  Deeds  of  the  Law.  ($,  28.) 
Being  considered  in  our  felves  as  UNGODLY.  (Chap.  4.  5.) 
And  this  juftifying  Faith  he  calls  Faitb  in  drift's  Blood ; 
becaufe  it  was  principally  by  the  Death  of  Chrift,  that  the 
Ends  of  moral  Government  were  anfwered,  and  fo  Law 
and  Juftice  fatisfied,  and  a  Way  opened  for  the  honourable 

Exercife  of  divine  Grace. But  altho'  the  Word  Faitb 

be  thus  ufed  in  Scripture  in  thefe  different  Senfes,  yet  we 
are  to  remember  that  thefe  various  Exercifes  of  a  godly 
Soul  are  connected  together,  and  always  concommitant 
with  one  another  \  yea,  and  in  fome  Refpects  implied  in 
each  other,  and  perhaps  fometimes  all  thefe  Actings  of  Soul 
are  defigned  by  the  Word  Faitb  -,  neverthelefs  they  are 
evidently  in  their  own  Nature  fo  diftinct,  as  that  they  may 

be  conceived  of  as  diftinct  Acts  of  the  Soul. And  it 

may  alfo  be  noted,  that  the  two  firft  of  thefe,  viz.  a  firm 
Belief  of  divine  fruths^  and  a  hearty  Reliance  on  the  divine 
All-fufficiency^  are  Acts  of  Faith  common  to  Angels  as  well 
as  Saints  ;  but  the  laft,  which  immediately  refpects 
Chrift  asMediaft>r5  is  peculiar  "to  penitent,  returning  Sin 
ners. 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  397 

ners.  The  two  firft  are  common  to  every  holy  Creature  j 
for  all  fuch  do,  in  a  firm  Belief  of  divine  Truths,  live  in 
an  entire  Dependance  upon  God  the  infinite  Fountain  of 
all  Good  :  But  the  Lift  is  peculiar  tajtnfid  Creatures,  who, 
becaufe  they  are  finful,  need  a  Mediator  to  make  Way  for 
the  honourable  Excrcife  of  the  divine  Goodnefs  towards 
them.  Thofe,  that  never  were  Sinners,  may  receive  all 
Things,  from  the  free  Grace  and  Self-moving  Goodnefs  of 
the  divine  Nature,  without  a  Mediator.  But  thofe,  that 
have  been  Sinners,  perhaps  will  receive  all  thro'  a  Media 
tor,  to  Eternity. 

10.  A  Heart  to  love  God  fupremely,  live  to  him  ulti 
mately,  and  delight  in  him  fuperlatively,to  love  ourNeigh- 
bours  as  our  felves,  to  hate  every  falfe  Way  ;  to  be  hum 
ble,  meek,  weaned  from  the  World,  heavenly- minded  ;  to 
be  thankful  for  Mercies,  patient  under  Afflidions,  to  love 
Enemies,  to  forgive  Injuries  ;  and  in  all  Things  to  do  as 
we  would  be  done  by  :  A  Heart  for  all  this,  I  fay,  is  al 
ways  in  exact  Proportion  to  the  Degree  of  true  Faith.  For 
the  fameViews  of  our  ownWretchednefs,  of  God,  of  Chrift, 
of  the  Way  of  Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro1  him,  of  the 
Glory,  Reality  and  Importance  of  divine  &  eternal  Things, 
which  lay  the  Foundation  for  true  Faith,  and  always  ac 
company  the  Exercife  of  Faith,  do  at  the  fame  Time  lay 
the  Foundation  for  this  divine  Temper.  And  befides,this 
divine  Temper  is  what  every  true  Believer  feels  to  be  the 
fitteft  and  happieil  Thing  in  the  World,  and  as  fuch  longs 
for  it,  and  goes  to  God  to  have  it  increafed  &  flrengthned  ; 
and  being  unworthy  to  go  in  his  own  Name,  *  he  goes  in 

Chrift's 

*  Unworthy  to  go  In  bis  own  Name.  As  thus,  if  in  Prayer  I  offer  up  this 
Petition,  "  Lord,  enable  me  to  love  thee  with  all  my  Heart :"  It  im 
plies,  (i)  That  I  don't  love  God  with  all  my  Heart,  notwithftanding 
the  infinite  Obligations  I  am  under  to  do  fo  j  for  which  Defeft  I  am 
infinitely  to  Blame,  and  deferve  an  infinite  Punifhment,  to  be  inftantly 
driven  from  God's  Prefence  for  ever,  and  fpurned  to  Hell  as  a  Crea 
ture  fit  only  for  Deftruftion.  (2.)  It  implies  that  all  the  external  Ma- 
nifeilations  which  God  has  made  of  himfelf  to  me  in  his  Works  and 
Word,  and  all  the  external  Means  he  has  ufed  with  me,  are  not  able 
to  win  my  Heart  wholly  to  God,  fo  great  is  my  Sottifhnefs  and  Aliena 
tion  from  the  Deity,  and  love  to  the  World  and  Sin.  And  no>v 

furely 


398        True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

Chrift's  Name  :  So  that  the  obtaining  more  and  more  of 
this  divin^  Temper  is  one  main  End  or  his  exercifing  Faith 
in  Chrift.  And  whatfoever  he  afks  the  Father  in  (Thrift's 
Name,  he  receives  ,  God  is  readier  to  give  his  holy  Spirit 
to  fuch  a  one,  than  Parents  be  to  give  Bread  to  their  Chil 
dren.  Job.  16.23.  Mat.  7.  ii.  And  therefore  every  true 
Believer  does  obtain  the  End  of  his  Faith  ;  and  not  only 
has,  but  grows  in  this  divine  Temper,  and  is  governed  by 
it,  and  brings  forth  Fruit  according  to  it  :  and  thus  flews 
his  Faith  by  his  Works^  according  to  St.  James  s  Doctrine. 
Jam.  2 .  And  herein  true  Faith  fcands  diftinguilhed  from 
all  Counterfeits.  Never  had  a  Hypocrite  a  fpiritual  Senfe 
of  that  ineffable  Beauty  of  the  divine  Nature,  which  lies  at 
the  Foundation  of  all  the  Experiences  of  the  true  Saint,  and 
from  whence  all  true  Holinefs  originally  fprings.  The 
Formalift  may,  from  legal  Fears  and  mercenary  Hopes,  be 
fo  ftric~t  and  confciencious  in  his  Ways,  as  to  think  himfelf 
a  choice  good  Man  :  and  the  Enthujiaft,  from  a  firm  Per- 
fwafion  of  the  Pardon  of  his  Sins  and  the  Love  of  Chrift, 
may  belb  full  of  Joy  and  Love,  Zeal  and  Devotion,  as  to 
think  himfelf  a  moft  eminent  Saint  :  but  there  is  nothing 
of  the  Nature  of  true  Holinefs  in  either  ;  for  it  is  Self  and 
nothing  but  Self^  that  is  the  Principle,Center  and  End  of  all 
their  Religion.  They  do  not  believe  in  Chrift,  that  thro' 
him  they  may  return  Home  to  God,  and  be  confecrated  to 
him  forever,  and  obtain  Grace  to  do  all  his  Will.  They 
don't  know  God,  or  care  for  him,  but  are  wholly  taken  up 
about  their  own  Intereft.  That  Moravian  Maxim,  "  That 
"  Salvation  confifts  in  the  Forgivenefs  of  Sins,"  exhibits 
the  true  Picture  of  the  Heart  of  the  beft  Hypocrite  in  the 

World  j 

furely  fuch  a  vile  Wretch  can't  have  a  Thought  of  any  Mercy  from 
God  on  the  Account  of  any  Goodnefs  in  me  ;  yea,  rather  I  am  too 
bad  to  be  pitied,  unlefs  there  be  fome  fumcient  Salvo  to  the  divine 
Honour.  How  therefore  can  God  give  me  the  greateft  of  Gifts, 
even  the  fanclifying  Influences  of  his  holy  Spirit,  but  thro'  the  greatMe- 
diator,  confiftent  with  his  Honour  as  moral  Governour  of  the  World. 
Now  therefore  being  thus  unworthy  to  go  to  God  in  my  own  Name, 
I  go  in  ChrilTsName;  as  knowing  that  thro'  him  God  can  exercife 
his  infinite,  felf-moving  Goodnefs  t6the  vileft  of  Creatures,  confiftent 
with  his  Honour :  altho'  Law  and  Juftice  call  for  their  immediate 
JDeftruftion,  cornered  as  jn  themfclves, 


and diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  399 

World  •,  while  that  in  2Cor.  3.  18.  is  peculiar  to  theGodly, 
We  all  with  of  en  Face  beholding  as  in  a  Glafs  the  Glory  of  the 
Lord)  are  changed  into  the  fame  Image,  from  Glory  to  Glory. 

1 1 .  and  laftly,  In  true  Believers  there  is  a  Principle  of 
Faith,  which  abides  and  grows  and  perfeveres  to  the  End, 
That  fpiritual  Senfe  of  God,  of  themfelves,  of  Chrift,  and 
of  the  Gofpel-Way  of  Salvation  thro'  him,  which  lays  the 
Foundation  for  the  nrft  Act  of  Faith,  becomes  habitual. 
They  have  a  fpiritual  Underftanding  to  difcern  fpiritual 
Things.  iCor.  2.  12.  They  were  onceDarknefs,  but  are  now 
Light  in  the  Lord :  And  hence  they  are  called  Children  of 
the  Light  and  of  the  Day.  Eph.  5.  8.  i  Thef.  5.  5.  Spiri 
tual  Light  does  not  come  upon  Believers  like  Flafhes 
of  Lightning  at  Midnight,  now  and  then  a  Flafh, 
and  thqn  as  dark  as  ever  again  :  But  their  Light  is 
habitual,  like  Day  Light.  And  from  the  firft  Dawning  of 
divine  Light  at  the  Hour  of  Converfion,  that  Day-break 
of  Heaven,  their  Light  jhines  more  and  more,  Year  afterYear, 
to  the  per f eft  Day.  Prov.  4.  18.  The  flying  Clouds  in  the 
Day  Time,  altho'  they  may  hide  the  clear  Ihining  of  the 
Sun  for  a  While,  yet  they  don't  make  it  dark  as  in  the 
Night ;  yea,  the  thickeft,  darker!  Clouds  are  not  able  to  do 
it.  Believers  are  never  deilituteof  a  fpiritual  Senfe  of  God 
and  Chrilt  and  divine^Things,  as  other  Men  be.  They  are 
Children  of  the  Light  and  of  the  Day,  and  not  of  ti&Night 
and  of  Darknefs.  The  Spirit  of  God  does  not  come  upon 
them  by  Fits,  as  it  did  upon  Balaam  -y  but  dwells  in  them. 
Rom.  8.9.  And  they  grow  in  Grace,  and  in  the  Knowledge 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jefus  Chrift.  2  Pet.  3.  18.  If  at  any 
Time  they  fhould  have  no  more  Senfe  of  divine  Things 
than  the  Unregenerate,  they  would  be  as  much  without 
Grace  :  They  would  not  differ  from  the  Stony-Ground- 
Hearers,  who  fell  aw  ay. —  And  now  their  divine  Light  be 
ing  thus  habitual,  groWing  and  perfevering ;  hence  their 
Faith  is  fo  too.  Thro'  the  Courfe  of  their  Lives,  it  is  their 
Way,  to  grow  more  and  more  fenfible  of  their  Sinfulnefs, 
the  Sinfulnefs  of  Sin,  their  Unworthinefs,  Ill-defert,  Po 
verty,  and  abfolute  Need  of  free  Grace  and  of  Jefus  Chrift. 
And  they  alfo  fee  more  and  more  into  the  Gofpel  Way  of 
Salvation,  the  Glory  and  Safety  of  it,  its  Suhablenefs  to 


exalt 


400          True  Religion  delineated     Dis*  IL 

exalt  God?  magnify  the  Law,  difcountenance  Sin,  humble 
the  Sinner,  and  glorify  Grace  \  and  more  and  more  come 
off  from  all  Self-Dependance,    to  an   entire  Reliance  upon 
JefusChrift  and  the  free  Grace  of  God  thro'  him  :  Seeking 
to  be  found  not  in  themfelves,  but  in  Chrift  ;  not  as  hav 
ing  on  their  own  Righteoufnefs,   but  his.  Phil.  3.  7,  8,  9. 
They  more  fully  approve  of  the  Law  ot  Nature  and  of  the 
originaiConfiitution  with/^w»,as  being  holy,  juil  &  good : 
They  more  fully  get  into  a  Way  of  looking  upon  thein- 
felves  as  God  does  ;  as   being  naturally  and  in  themfelves 
fallen,  fmful,  guilty,  juflly  condemned,  helplefs  &  undone. 
They  fee  more  and  more  of  their  infiniteObligation  to  per 
fect  Holinefs,  and  of  the  Reafonablenefs  of  eternalDamna- 
tion  being  threatned  for  the  leaft  Sin,  and  of  the  Infuffici- 
ency  of  all  their  beft  Doings   to  make  any  Satisfaction  for 
Sin.     The  Grace  of  God  as  revealed  in  the  Gofpel,  appears 
more  rich  and  free  and  wonderful.     They  feel  more  and 
more  of  their  Need  of  Chrift,  his  Worth  and  Merits,  Me 
diation:  and  Interceffion  ;  and  of  their  utter  Unhtnefs   to 
approach  theMajefty  of  Heaven  any  o.ther  Way  but  by  him. 
They  feel  themfelves  more  full  of  Wants,  and  farther  off 
from  anyWorthinefs  to  receive,  and  yet  more  and  more  in 
to  the  Temper  of  humble  Beggars,  and  into  a  Way  of  com 
ing  to  God  more  entirely  in  Chrifl's  Name. — •  At  firilCon- 
verfion  fuch  aTemper  begins,  &  this  Temper  grows  like  the 
Muftard-Seed,znd  fpreads  like  the  Leaven,znd  is  like  a  Well 
of  livingWater^  which  is  never  dry,  but  is  fpringing  up  into- 
everlatting  Life.  Mat.  13.  31 — 33.  Joh.  4.  14, — And  thus 
the  true  Believer  abides  in  CkrisJ,  as  a  living  Branch  does  in 
the  Vine.  Joh.  15.  And  lives  the  Life  he  lives  in  the  Flejh^by 
Fqith  on  the  Son  of  Ged,  GaL  2.  20.  Being  kept  by  thePower 
of  God j  thro'  Faith  unto  Salvation,  i  Pet.  i.  5. 

And  this  is  the  .Thing  (I  may  obferve  by  the  Way)  which 
makes  Grace  in  the  Heart  more  plainly  difcernabje,  and 
it's  Difference  from  all  Counterfeits  more  clearly  manifeft, 
and  which  therefore  clears  up  to  Believers  the  fpiritualState 
of  their  Souls,  anfwers  all  Doubts,  removes  all  Difficulties, 
and  brings  them  to  be  fettled  and  fatisfied  as  to  their  good 
Eftate.  Many  fpend  their  Lives  in  fearching  whether 
their  Law-work  was  right,  whether  their  frjt  Aft  of  Faith 

was 


and  diftmguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  40 1 

was  right,  &c.  But  there  is  nothing  like  growing  in  Grace, 
to  put  it  out  of  Doubt  that  we  have  Grace,  and  to  keep 
our  Evidences  clear.  And  indeed  this  is  the  only  Way. 
2  Pet.  i.  5 — 10. 

And  thus  we  fee  in  general  wherein  a  genuine  Compli* 
ance  with  the  Gofpel  does  confift,  and  particularly  what  is 
the  Nature  of  a  faving  Faith.  And  from  what  has  been 
faid,  we  may  be  able  to  diftinguiih  true  Faith  from  every 
Counterfeit.  Particularly,  from  what  has  been  faid,  we 
may  eafily  fee  the  Falfenefs  of  thefe  two  Sorts  of  Faith, 
whereby  Thoufands  are  deceived  and  ruined. 

i .  The  legal  Hypocrite's  Faith  ;  who  being  entirely  de 
void  of  the  divine  Life,  and  of  thofe  fpiritual  Views  of 
God,  of  himfelf,  of  Chrift,  and  of  the  Way  of  Salvation, 
which  the  true  Believer  has,  is  only  animated  by  Self-love, 
the  Fear  of  Hell  and  the  Hope  of  Heaven,  to  attend  upon 
the  external  Duties  of  Religion,  and  to  try  to  love  God 
and  be  fmcere,in  Hopes  of  Acceptance  in  the  Sight  of  God, 
if  he  endeavours  to  do  as  well  as  he  can.  He  thinks,  God 
has  promifed  to  accept  fuch,  and  that  it  would  not  be  juft 
for  God  to  require  more  of  him  than  he  can  do.  He  does 
not  fee  how  bad  he  is,  he  ^hates  to  think  of  lying  at  the 
mere  Mercy  of  God,  and  can't  endure  the  Dodtrine  of  di 
vine  Sovereignty  •,  he  is  quite  infenflble  of  his  Need  of 
free  Grace  and  of  Jefus  Chrift  :  However,he  fays,  he  trufls 
wholly  in  the  Merits  of  Chrift  for  eternal  Life,  and 
does  not  pretend  to  merit  any  Thing  by  all  his  Doings. 
And  thus  being  quieted  with  the  Hopes  of  Heaven,  he 
goes  on  in  the  Rounds  of  Duty,  a  Stranger  to  real  Com 
munion  with  God,  and  to  all  the  Exercifes  of  the  divine 
Life.  He  does  Duties  enough  juft  to  keep  his  Confcience 
quiet,  and  has  Faith  enough  juft  to  keep  him  from  feeing 
that  he  refts  entirely  upon  his  own  Righteoufnefs  :  and  by 
the  Means  his  Duties  and  his  Faith  ferve  only  to  keep  him 
fecure  in  Sin,  and  infenflble  of  his  periming  Need  of  Jefus 
Chrift  and  of  converting  Grace. 

Let  me  expoftulate  theCafe  a  little  with  fuch  a  one.  And 
Firft,  Can  a  Man  fmcerely  comply  with  the  Gofpel,  when 
at  the  fame  Time  he  does  not  cordially  approve  of  the 
Law  as  holy,  juft  and  good,  feeing  the  Gofpel  in  its  whole 

D  d  Conftitution 


4O2       True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

Gonftitution  is  evidently  founded  upon  that  Suppofition  ?. 
You  don't  like  the  Law  ;  you  think,  it  is  unjuft.  The 
Law  requires  you  to  love  God  with  all  your  Heart,  (  Mat. 
22.  37.)  and  threatens  Damnation  for  -the  leail  Sin  :  (Gal. 
3.  10.)  But  you  fay,  it  is  not juft  for  God  to  require  more 
than  you  can  do,  and  then  damn  you  for  not  doing.  But 
now  the  Gofpel  does  not  mean  to  make  void  this  Law,  but 
to  eftablifb  it.  Rom.  3.  31.  It  would  be  impoffible  there 
fore,  if  you  did  but  rightly  underftand  the  Cafe,  that  you 
ihould  like  the  Gofpel  any  better  than  you  do  the  Law. — 
Andfecondly,  Do  you  think  that  God  will  pardon  you,  when 
at  the  fame  Time  you  will  not  acknowledge  the  Law  to 
be  holy,  juft  and  good,  by  which  you  ftand  condemned  ? 
What,  pardon  you,  when  you  juftify  yourfelf,  &  condemn 
his  Law  !  What,pardon  you,when  you  won't  own  you  need 
a  Pardon  !  Yea, when  you  ftand  to  it,  it  would  not  be  fair  to 
punifh  you  !  Yea,  when  you  are  ready  to  fly  in  the  very 
Face  of  the  Law  and  of  the  Lawgiver,  and  to  cry  out, 
Injuftice^Injuflicel  No,  no,  proud,  ftubborn,  guilty  Wretch, 
you  muft  come  down  firft,  and  lie  in  the  Duft  before  the 
Lord,  and  approve  the  Law  in  the  very  Bottom  of  your 
Heart,  and  own  theSentence  juft,  by  which  you  ftand  con 
demned.  Luk.  1 8.  13.  Rom.  3.  19.  You  muft  come  down 
and  own  the  Law  to  be  good,  or  elfe  God  muft  come  down 
and  own  the  Law  to  be  bad.  Or  if  God  infifts  upon  it 
that  the  Law  is  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  you  ftill  infift  upon 
it  that  it  is  not ;  it  is  impoffible  that  God  ihould  pardon 
you,  or  that  there  ihould  be  any  Reconciliation.  God  muft 
of  Neceffity  hate  you,  becaufe  you  hate  his  Law  ;  and  you 

will  for  ever  hate  God,  for  making  fuch  a  Law. And 

thirdly ,  How  can  you  pretend  all  this  while,to  truft  only  in 
Chrift  for  Pardon  and  eternal  Life  ^  when-as  it  is  plain, 
from  your  own  Words,  you  fee  no  Need  of  Chrift  ?  For 
if,  as  you  fay,  "  God  can't  juftly  require  any  more  of  you 
"  than  you  can  do  •"  what  do  you  want  Chrift  for  ?  You 
can  do  enough  your  felf.  Do  you  want  Chrift  to  make 
Satisfaction  for  your  Short- comings  and  Imperfections  ? 
But,  according  to  your  Scheme,  God  can't  require  any. 
more  Satisfaction  than  you  can  make  your  felf :  for  this 
would  be  to  require  more  than  you  can  do,  and  to  damn 

you 


and  diftinguifned from  all  Counterfeits.  403 

you  for  not  doing.  Do  you  want  him  to  purchafe  the 
Favour  of  God  and  eternal  Life  ?  But  you  can  do  all  that 
God  can  require  :  for  you  can  do,  what  you  can  do,  and 
that,  according  to  your  Schemers  all  that  God  can  require. 
Or  do  you  want  Chrift  to  purchafe  an  Abatement  of  the 
Law  ?  But  if  Chrift  had  never  died,  you  don't  think,  that 
God  could  in  J  uftice  require  more  of  you  than  you  can  do. 
What  Need  therefore,  upon  your  Scheme,  was  there  of 
Chrift  ?  And  did  he  not  die  in  vain  ?  For  if  Righteoufnefs 
corns  by  the  Law^  then  Chrift  is  dead  in  vain.  Gal.  2.  21. 
3^Tow,  can  your  Faith  in  Chrift  be  any  more  than  a  mere 

I<  an  jy,  when-as  it  is  evident  you  fee  no  Need  of  him  ? 

And  befides,  fourthly  ^  What  Good  does  yourFaith  do  you  ? 
Does  it  work  by  Love?  Does  \\.  purify  your  Heart  ?  Does 
it  overcome  the  World  ?  Why,  nothing  lefs.  It  only  ferves 
to  keep  you  fecure  and  quiet  in  an  unrenewed  State,  and  to 
make  you  hope  all  is  well,while  you  keep  on  in  a  Round  of 
external  Duties,  Strangers  to  Gocl  and  the  divine  Life.  In 
a  Word,  your  Duties  and  your  Faith  join  together  to  keep 
Confcience  afleep,  and  to  render  you  infenfible  of  your 
Need  of  Chrift  and  of  convertingGrace.  ^0^.9.30,3 1,32. 
Oh,  how  fad  it  is,  fo  many.Thoufands  fhould  be  deceived 
in  fo  plain  a  Cafe  !  It  can  furely  be  attributed  to  nothing 
fhortof  this,that  Men  love  Darknefs  rather  than  Light ;  they 
love  to  frame  fuch  a  Scheme  of  Religion  in  their  Heads, 
as  fuits  the  Temper  of  their  Hearts.  And  becaufe  their 
Scheme  fuits  them,  therefore  they  firmly  believe  it  to  be 
divine.  But  to  proceed, 

2.  From  what  has  been  faid,  we  may  eafily  fee  the 
Falfenefs  of  the  evangelical  Hypocrite's  Faith  •,  who,althos  he 
makes  a  much  greater  Shew,  and  is  more  confident,  yet 
has  not  a  Jot  better  Foundation.  —  He  has  been  greatly 
awaken'd  perhaps,  and  terrified,  and  feemingly  brought  off 
from  his  own  Righteoufnefs  and  humbled,  and  then  has 
received  great  Light  and  Comfort,  and  has  had  many  an 
Hour  of  Joy  and  Ravifhment.  —  For  thus  was  the  Cafe ; 
In  the  Depth  of  his  Darknefs  and  Sorrow,  Light  mined 
all  around  him-,  and  to  his  thinking,he  fawHeaven  opened* 
and  the  Lord  fitting  upon  his  Throne,  and  Chrift  at  his 
right  Hand,  and  heard  thofe  Words,  Corns  ye  kkjfed  of  my 

D  d  2  Father, 


404      True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  II. 

Father ',  inherit  the  Kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  "Foun 
dation  of  the  World :  Be  of  good  Chear,  thy  Sins  are  forgiven : 
Fear  not,  little  Flock,  'tis  my  Father's  good  Pleafure  to  give 
you  the  Kingdom.  Oh  thou  affixed,  toffed  with  Temp  efts,  and  \ 
Kot  comforted,  behold \  I  will  lay  thy  Stones  with  fair  Colours  fee.  • 
—  Or,  it  may  be,  he  faw  Chrift  on  the  Crofs,  with  his  { 
Blood  running  from  his  Side  and  Hands  and  Feet.  Or, 
perhaps  he  faw  a  Light  in  his  Chamber.  —  It  may  be,  he  \ 
had  one  Scripture,  and  it  may  be  ten  or  twenty  going, 
until  he  was  as  full  as  he  could  hold,  and  even  ready  to 
cry,  Lord,  ft  ay  thy  Hand.  As  to  all  thefe  Things,  there  is 
an  cndlefs  Variety.  But  in  the  following  Particulars  there 
is  a  greater  Agreement,  (i.)  They  have  a  Difcovery  of 
Chrift's  Love  to  them  in  particular,  that  he  died  for  them 
in  particular,  that  their  Sins  are  pardoned,  &c.  (2.)  The 
Effence  of  their  firft  Act  of  Faith  confift's  in  a  firm  Per- 
fuafion,  that  their  Sins  are  forgiven,  that  Chrift  died  for 
them  in  particular,  or  the  like.  (3.)  All  their  after-Difco- 
veries  and  after- Acts  of  Faith  are  of  the  fame  Nature  with 
the  firft.  (4.)  This  Faith,  from  a  Principle  of  Self-love, 
naturally  fills  them  full  of  Joy  and  Love  and  Zeal,  &  lays 
the  Foundation  of  all  their  good  Frames,  and  of  all  their 
Religion.(5.)Doubting  theGoodnefs  of theirState, when  they 
are  dead  &  carnal,i sin  their  AccountUnbelief,  &agreatSin, 
and  to  be  watched  &  prayed  againft,ras  aThing  of  the  moft 
deftructiveTendency. — Now,fome  who  have  a  fewDifcove- 
ries,do  in  a  fewMonths  lofe  all  their  Religion,  and  come  to 
feel  &  live  much  like  the  reft  of  theWorld. —  Others  hold 
out  longer. — Some,after  they  have  lain  dead  one, two,three, 
five  ortenYears,juft  as  it  happens,willhave  what  they  call  a 
new  Difcovery,  and  be  as  full  as  ever. — While  others  con 
tinue  in  their  irreligious  Courfes. 

And  here  I  may  obferve,  (i.)  That  the  greater  Difcove- 
ries  (as  they  call  them)  they  have,  the  more  proud  &  con 
ceited  they  be,  and  the  more  do  they  want  to  have  all  the 
Town  admire  them. —  (2.)  The  longer  they  continue  to  be 
lively,  the  more  do  they  grow  in  Pride  and  Self-Righteouf- 
ftefs  ;  and  feeling  themfelves  to  be  exceeding  good,  they 
are  emboldened  to  make  very  free  with  the  Almighty,  as 
ls  PWifluii;  Favourites,  a?d  *e  feft  tf  M^ru 


and  diftingut/hed from  all  Counterfeits.  405 

I  thank  thee,  I  am  not  as  other  Men. —  (3.)  And  yet  'tis  na^' 
tural  to  efteem  themfelves  fome  of  the  moft  humble  Crea 
tures  in  the  World. —  ("4.)  It  is  impoflible  to  convince  them 
of  their  Error.     Becaufe   the  immediate  Witnefs  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  as  they  think,    afllires  them  that  they  are 
right :  And  therefore  all  that  don't  look  upon  Things  and 
feel  juft  as  they  do,  are  certainly  blind  and  carnal ;  and  fo 
not  to  be  regarded  :  They  are  bound  to  believe  God  before 
Man.  Urge  Scripture  againft  them,  and  they  are  unmoved  5 
becaufe  the  Spirit  does  not  tell  them  that  it  means  fo :  The 
plained  Texts  are  not  regarded,  if  contrary  to  their  Spirit. 
Urge  Reafon  againft  them,  and  demonftrate  a  Point  ever 
fo  clearly,  and  they  are  unmoved  •,  becaufe  that  is  ail  carnal 
Reafon.   Take  much  Pains  with  them,  and  be  ever  fo  kind 
and  friendly,   and  they  are  the  more  eftablifhed  ;  becaufe 
they  think  they  are  ferfecuied.     Or,  if  they  are  fometimes 
fhocked  and  almofl  convinced,  yet  they  are  in  a  few  Days 
more  fettled  than  ever,   by  a  new  Difcovery  and  a  Multi^ 
tude  of  Scriptures,mifapplied  by  thePrince  of  Darknefs,  af~ 
furing  them  that  they  are  right.     And  now  they  refolve 
never  to  doubt  again,   and  get  invincibly  fet  in  their  Way, 
(5.)  If  after  a  While  they  lofe  all  their  Religion,    and   are 
dead,  and  lie  dead  for  whole  Months  and  Years  together, 
yet  ftill  they  are  as  confident  as  ever.     "  For,  fay  they, 
"  David  and  Solomon  and  Peter  fell,  and  the  beft  are  dead 
"  fometimes,  and  how  long  a  goodMan  may  lie  dead  none 
"  can  tell  ;  God  may  leave  his  Children  out  of  Sovereign 
ty,  and  without  Chrift  we  can  do  Nothing  -9  we  muft 
wait  for  the  Spirit,  and  not  call  God's  Faithfulnefs  into 
Queftion  becaufe  of  our  Deadnefs,  as  if  his  Faithfulnefs 
depended  upon  our  good  Frames."  And  fo  now  having, 
as  they  fuppofe,  Chrift  to  pardon  their  Sins  and  fave  their 
Souls,  and  fome  Luft  to  content  their  Hearts,  they   deep 
on  fecure  and  quiet.     Or,  if  they  are  terrified  at  any  Time 
and  begin  to  Doubt,    O  thou  of  little  Faith^  wherefore  doft 
thou  Doubt  ?  Or  fome  fuch  Scripture,  will  quiet  and  hufh 
all  to  deep  again.     And  thus,  and  after  this  Sert,  Things 
go  with  them.     And  now  out  of  fuch  rotten  Hearts  grow 
up  all  the  AntinomianJ?amiliftic  and  Quaker  i/h  Errors  which 
have  troubled  the  Chriftian  Church,     ppr  they   get  their 

P  d  2  Principle 


cc 


cc 


406       True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

Principles  of  Religion,  not  out  of  the  Bible,  but  out  of  their 
Experiences  :  and  are  careful  to  cut  out  a  Scheme,  in  their 
Heads,  to  fuit  the  Religion  of  their  Hearts  :  And  becaufe 
it  fuits  them,  therefore  they  firmly  believe  it.  And  becaufe 
their  Scheme  is  not  rational^  and  cannot  bear  to  be  examin 
ed  by  Reafon  ;  therefore  they  cry  down  Reafon,  and  fay  it  is 
carnal :  And  they  cry  down  humanLearning  ;  and  the  more 
ignorant,  the  more  devout.  And  becaufe  their  Scheme 
is  not  contained  in  the  Scriptures,  therefore  they  have  no 
Regard  to  the  plain  Meaning  of  Scripture,  but  turn  all  into 
Allegories,  and  what  they  call  \\\tfpiritual  Meaning  -,  and  fo 
run  into  a  Hundred  Whims,  fuch  as  befl  fuits  with  the 
Temper  of  their  Hearts. 

Now  the  great  Mifery  of  this  Sort  of  Hypocrites  is,that 
notwithftanding  all  their  Terrors ;  yet  they  were  never 
thoro'ly  convinced  of  their  fallen,  {infill,  guilty,  undone 
Eftate  by  Nature.  And  notwithftanding  all  their  Difco- 
veries ;  yet  they  are  ftill  fpiritually  blind,  and  neither  know 
God,  nor  Themfelves,  nor  Chrift,  nor  the  Gofpel-Way  of 
Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro'  him.  And  notwithftanding 
all  their  Confidence  and  Joy  and  high  religious  Frames  -, 
yet  they  are  as  deftitute  of  Faith,  Repentance  andHolinefs, 
as  ever  they  were.  And  'tis  a  LIE,  which  the  Father  of 
Lies  has  made  them  believe,  which  lies  at  the  Bottom  of  all 
their  Religion,  and  is  the  very  Foundation  of  it  ail.  All 
their  pureft  Joy  and  Love  and  Zeal  arife  from  their  Faith. 
All  their  Faith  confifts  in  believing  thattheirSins  are  forgiven. 
And  all  the  Foundation  which  their  Faith  is  originally 
built  upon, is  an  immediate  Revelation  :  The  Truth  of  which, 
they  dare  not  call  in  Queftion,  for  fear  of  giving  the  Lie  to 
the  HblySpirit,  from  whom,they  fay,  they  know  it  came. — 
But  how  could  the  Spirit  of  God  reveal  it  to  them,  that 
Chrift  loved  them,  and  that  their  Sins  were  forgiven,  and  here 
by  lay  the  Foundation  for  their  firft  Act  of  Faith,  when-as 
iefcrt  the  frft  Aft  of  Faith,  they  were  aftualk  under  Con- 
famnation,  the  Wrath  of  God,  and  the  Curfe  of  the  Law  ? 
joh,  ?.  18,36.  Gal.  3.  10.  The  Thing  revealed  to  them 
not  true  ;  and  therefore  was  not  from  God,  but  from 
peyil,—  Now  this  falfe  Revelation  laid  theFoundation 
for  theirFaith,  and  their  Faith  laid  theFoundation  for  their 

J°y> 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  407 

Joy,  and  for  all  their  Religion.— -A  fpiritual  Sight  and  dir 
vine  Senfe  of  the  great  Truths  prefuppofed  and  revealed 
in  the  Gofpel,  is  the  Foundation  of  the  godly  Man's  Faith 
and  Holinefs  •,  but  a  particular  Thing  no  where  revealed 
in  the  Bible  is  their  Foundation  :  Yea,  a  Fal/hood  that  is 
directly  contrary  to  what  the  Scriptures  plainly  teach. — — 
And  yet  alas,  they  know  they  are  right ;  they  are,  they  fay, 
ascertain  of  it  as  they  be  of  their  own  Exiftence.  How 
great  is  the  Power  of  Delufion  !  How  awful  is  the  Cafe  of 
a  poor  Creature  forfaken  of  God  !  2  Thef.  2.  10,  u,  12. 
They  received  not  the  Love  of  the  Truth^  that  they  might  be 
faved.  And  for  this  Caufe  God /hall  fend  them  ftrongDelufiony 
that  they  Jhould  believe  a  LIE :  That  they  all  might  be  damned^ 
who  believed  not  the  Truth  Jut  hadPleafure  in  Unrighteoufnefs, 

But  to  conclude, 

From  what  has  been  faid  concerning  theNature  of  a  true 
Faith  and  a  genuine  Compliance  with  the  Gofpel,  we  may 
not  only  fee  the  Falfenefs  of  thefe  two  Sorts  of  Faith,  but 
alfo  of  all  other  Counterfeits,  which  are  almoft  in  an  endlefs 
Variety.  For  between  thefe  two  Extremes  of  a  legal  and 
evangelical  Hypocrite,  there  lies  a  Thoufand  Bye-Paths, 
In  which  poor  Sinners  wander  to  everlafting  Perdition  ;  in 
the  mean  while  bleffing  themfelves,  that  they  are  neither 
Armenians  nor  Antinomians  \  nor  deluded  as  fuch  and  fuch 
be  :  Altho'  they  neither  know  God,  nor  Themfelves,  nor 
Chrift,  nor  the  Way  of  Salvation  thro'  him  ;  and  really 
are  as  deftitute  of  Faith,  Repentance  and  Holinefs,  as  the 
moft  deluded  Creature  in  the  World. 

SECTION     VIII. 

Shewing  what  is  implied  in  the  EVERLASTING 
LIFE  promifed  to  Believers,  and  how  Faith 
inter  efts  us  in  CHRIST. 

I  am  now  in  the  laft  Place, 

V.  To  confider  the  Promife  of  Everlafting  Life,  which  is 
in  the  Gofpel  made  to  true  Believers.  God  fo  loved  the 
World*  that  be  gave  hi$  only  begotten  Sw9  that  wkofievtr 

P  d  4 


408        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

lieveth  in  him  Jhould  not  PERISH,   but  have  EVERLASTING 
LIFE. —  In  this  everlatting  Life  is  implied, 

1 .  The  everlafting  Love  and  Favour  of  God.     Whereas 
by  the  Difobedience  of  One  many  were  made  Sinner  s^  and  Judg 
ment  came  upon  all  to  Condemnation,  by  Virtue  of  the  origi 
nal  Conftitution  with  Adam.  Rom.  5.  18,  19.  And  whereas 
by  and  according  to  the  Law  of  Nature  the  whole  World 

ft ands  Guilty  before  God.  Rom.  3.  19.  Now,  by  Virtue  of  a 
new  Conftitution,  eftablifhed  by  the  God  of  Heaven,  the 
great  Governour  of  the  World,  called  the  Gofpel  or  Cove 
nant  of  Grace,  it  is  appointed  and  as  it  were  confirmed  by 
the  broad  Seal  of  Heaven,  that  any,  whofoever  they  be,  a- 
mong  all  the  guilty  Race  of  Adam,  who  fall  in  with  this 
Gofpel-Propofal,  and  venture  their  All  upon  this  newPlan, 
this  newFoundation,  this  preciousCorner-Stone  JefusChrift, 
the  great  Mediator  betweenGod  and  Man,  fhall  thence  for  h 
ftand  free  from  that  double  Condemnation,  and  be  intitled 
unto  the  everlafting  Love  and  Favour  of  God,  the  great 
Governour  of  the  World.  Joh.  3.  18.  Rom.  5.  i,  2.  There 
fore  being  juftified  by  Faith  we  have  Peace  with  God,  thro'  our 
Lord  Jefus  Chrift.  By  whom  alfo  we  have  Accefs  by  Faith 
into  this  Grace  wherein  we  ftand,  and  rejoyce  in  I  lope  of  the 
Glory  of  God. 

2.  The  other  Part  of  this  everlafting  Life  confifts  in  and 
refults  from  the  everlafting  Indwelling  of  the  holy  Spirit  as  a 
SanRifier.     This,   which  Adam  loft  by  the  Fall,   is,   upon 
Qur  Union  with  Chrift  the  fecond  Adam,  by  Virtue  of  this 
newConftitution,  reftored,  never  to  be  loft  any  more.  Joh. 
7.38.  He  that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture  faith  -,  out  of 
his  Belly  Jhallflow  Rivers  of  living  Heater,  $.  39.  This  ffake 
be  of  the  Spirit,  which  they  that  believe  on  himfhould  receive. 
And  therefore  the  Gift  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  is,  by  theApoftles, 
(Aff.  2.  38.)  promifed  upon  the  Condition  of  Faith.*  And 

therefore 

*  From  the  Nature  f&juftijfying  Faith,  it  is  evident,  that  Regeneration  muft 
\)t  prior  to  the/);/?  A8  of  it  ;  but  altho1  the  Sinner  be  regenera fed  by 
the  gracious  Inikiences  of  the  holy  Spirit  before  Faith,  yet  it  is  after 
Faith  and  Union  with  Chrift  that  the  Soul  has  a  Covenant -Right  to 
the  Indwelling  of  the  holy  Spirit ;  which  Covenant -Right  lays  a  Foun 
dation  for  the  Indwelling  of  the  holy  Spirit  to  be  conjlant  and  ever- 
lifting  ;  and  this  laya  a  foundation  for  an  abiding  Principle  and  proper 


and  diftmguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  409 

therefore  as  God  did  of  old  dwell  in  the  Holy  of  Holies 
in  the  Jewijh  Temple,  in  the  Cloud  of  Glory  •,  fo  now 
henceforth  does  he  dwell  in  the  Believer's  Heart  by  his 
holy  Spirit,  as  a  vital  Principle  and  Spring  of  divine  Life 
there.  Job.  15.  i — 5.  And  hence  Believers  are  called  the 
Temple  of  God.  i  Cor.  3 .  17.  The  Spirit  of  God  is  faid  to 
dwell  in  them.  Rom.  8.  9.  to  lead  them.  /.  14.  to  give  them 
an  everlafting  Freedom  from  the  Power  of  Sin.  ^.2.  So 
that  Sin  flail  not  baveDominion  over  them.  Rom.  6.  14.  And 
the  Water  (fays  Chrift)  which  I  will  give  you,  Jball  be  in  you  4 
Well  of  Water fyringing  up  into  everlafting  £*/<?. Joh.  4.  14. 

It  is  plain  from  the  whole  Tenour  of  the  Gofpel,that  the 
everlafting  Love  and  Favour  of  God,  together  with  the  ever 
lafting  Indwelling  of  the  holy  Spirit  as  a  Sanffijier,  which  are 
the  two  great  Things  which  a  poor  Sinner  wants,  are  the 
two  great  Things  promifed  in  the  Covenant  of  Grace.  St. 
Paul  having  explained  the  Nature  of  the  Gofpel-Way  of 
Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro*  Jefus  Chrift,  and  {hewn  that 
Faith  is  the  only  Condition  of  the  new  Covenant,  in  the 
four  firft  Chapters  of  his  Epiftle  to  the  Romans  •,  proceeds 
to  mew  the  Benefits  accruing  to  Believers.  And/r/?,  they 
are  juftified,  and  have  Peace  with  God.  Chap.  5.  Secondly ', 
they  are  delivered  from  the  Power  of  Sin.  Chap.  6.  And 
altho'  they  are  in  this  Life  continually  in  aState  of  fpiritual 
Conflict  and  Warfare.  Chap.  7.  Yet  they  are  influenced  and 
led  and  governed  by  theSpirit  of  God  which  dwells  in  them. 
Chap.  8°  And  now  all  Things  lhall  work  for  their  Good, 
and  they  fhall  be  brought  to  Glory  at  laft.  #.  28 — 39.  So 
again,  fee  both  thefe  fummed  up  in  Heb.  8.  10,  n,  12. 
For  this  is  the  Covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the  Houfe  of 
Ihztl  after  thofe  Days,  faith  the  Lord-,  I  will  put  my  Laws 
into  their  Mind,  and  write  them  in  their  Hearts :  And  I  will 
be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  Jh all  be  to  me  a  People.  And  they 
/hall  not  teach  every  Man  his  Neighbour,  and  every  Man  his 
Brother,  faying,  Know  the  Lord  -,  for  all  Jh  all  know  me,  from 
thekaft  to  the  greateft.—  Here  is  the  everlafting  Indwelling 

of 

Habit  of  Grace.     So  that  altho'  Regeneration  be  before  Faith,  yet  a 
confirmed  Habit  of  Grace  is  after.     It  refute  from  our  Union  witJ 
Chrift.     Job.  15,  i— $.   And  is  in  Scripture  promifed  upon  tfcel 
dition  of  Faith.  Job,  5,  24.  fcf  7.  38. 


4 1  o        True  Religion  delineated       Di  s .  II. 

of  the  holy  Spirit,  together  with  what  refults  therefrom. — 
tf.  12.  For  I  will  be  merciful  unto  their  Unrighteoufnefs,  and 
their  Sins  and  their  Iniquities  will  1  remember  no  more. —  And 
here  is  the  everlafting  Love  and  Favour  of  God. 

And  now  feeing  by  this  new  Conftitution,  this  Covenant 
of  Grace,  true  Believers  are  thus  intitled  to  the  everlafting 
Love  and  Favour  of  God,  and  to  the  everlafting  Indwelling 
of  the  holy  Spirit  as  Sanctifier,in  the  perfe6tEnjpyment  of 
both  which,  eternal  Life,  in  Heaven,  will  confift  :  Hence 
therefore  they  are  faid  to  have  Life,  yea,  to  to  have  eternal 
Life?  immediately  upon  their  believing  in  Chrift.  I  Joh.  5. 
12.  He  that  bath  the  Son,  hath  LIFE.  Joh.  3.  36.  He  that 
lelieveth  on  the  Son,  hath  EVERLASTING  LIFE.  Joh.  5.  24. 
Hath  EVERLASTING  LIFE,  and  /hall  not  come  into  Condem 
nation;  but  is  faffed  from  DEATH  unto  LIFE.  Joh.  17.  3. 
fhis  z'j  LIFE  ETEENAL,  that  they  might  know  thee,  the  only 
true  God,  and  Jefus  Chrift  whom  thou  haft  fent.  Eternal 
Life  is  begun  in  them,  and  Heaven  begins  to  dawn  in 
their  Souls. 

And  Believers  being  thus  made  the  Subjects  of  the  ever 
lafting  Love  and  Favour  of  God,. and  of  the  everlafting  In 
dwelling  of  the  holy  Spirit,  they  are  hence  called  the  Chil 
dren  of  God.  Joh.  i.  12.  For  God  loves  them  as  Children, 
and  they  love  him  as  a  Father.  And  this  filial  Frame  of  Spirit, 
whereby  they  are  difpofed  to  reverence,  fear,  love,  truft  in 
and  obey  God  as  a  Father,  live  upon  him  and  live  to  him 
as  a  Father  -,  I  fay,  this  filial  Frame  of  Spirit  is  called  the 
Spirit  of  Adoption,  in  Oppofition  to  that  fervile  Frame  of 
Spirit  they  ufed  to  be  under  the  Bondage  of,  before  Faith, 
and  before  they  had  received  the  holy  Ghoft.  Rom.  8.  15. 
For  ye  have  not  received  the  Spirit  of  Bondage  again  to  fear ; 
lut  ye  have  received  the  Spirit  of  Adoption*  whereby  we  cry, 
Abba,  Father. 

And  this  filial  Frame  of  Spirit  being  peculiar  to  Believers, 
that  which  none  but  Believers  have,  and  which  yet  is  com- 
nion  to  all  Believers ;  and  this  filial  Frame  of  Spirit  being 
that  wherein  Believers  bear  the  Image  of  their  heavenly  Fa- 
tber,  each  one  refembling  the  Children  of  a  King :  For  they 
view  Things  according  to  their  Meafure,  as  God  does,  and 
love  what  he  loves,  and  make  his  Interpft  their  Intereft, 


and  diftinguijhe&from  all  Counterfeits.  411 


and  are  taken  up  with  the  fame  Defigns  :  I  fay,  this 
Frame  of  Spirit  being  fuch  a  -peculiar  and  remarkable  Thing,- 
and  that  wherein  they  fo  nearly  refemble  God,&  being  alfo  the' 
immediate  Produdt  of  the  Indwelling  and  Influence  of  the 
holy  Spirit,  therefore  in  Scripture  it  is  fpoken  of  as  the 
diftinguifhing  Badge  of  a  true  Believer,  as  a  Mark  whereby 
God's  Children  &  drift's  Sheep  are  to  be  known.   This  is. 
what  is  called  the  Seal  of  the  Spirit  ^va  Eph.  i.  13.  And  this 
Seal  is  the  Witnefs,  Evidence  and  Proof  which  the  holy  Spi 
rit  gives  to  our  Cotofeiences,  that  we  'are  the  Children  of  God. 
Rom.  8.  1  6.    This  filial  Frame  of  Spirit  is  what  fatisfas 
and  affures  the  Children  of  God.  They  feel  the  very  Tem 
per  of  Children  towards  God.     They  feel  a  Heart  to  reve 
rence  &  fear,  love  &  honour  him  as  a  Father  ^  a  Heart  tor 
go  to  him,  'to  truft  in  him,to  be  in  Subjection  to  him  &obey 
him,  as  aFather.  And  by  this  they  know  they  are  hisChildren. 
Marvellous  is  the  Change,  which  the  poor  Sinner  pafTes 
thro',  in  that  awful  Hour  of  inexpreflible  Solemnity,  when 
he  firft  comes  into  the  awful  Prefence  of  the  dreadMajefty  of 
Heaven  &  Earth,  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  the  glorious  Mediator, 
venturing  his  ALL  for  ETERNITY  upon  this  fureFoun- 
dation.  And  now  fromthisTime  forward,  he  is  quite  another 
Creature,  under  quite  new  Circumftances.     As  when  Or 
phan  Children,  left  without  a  Guardian  or  a  Guide,  from 
running  Riot  and  indulging  themfelves  in  all  Extravagan 
ces,  are  taken  and  brought  into  the  Family  of  a  wife  and 
good  Man,  and  are  made   his  Children  :  he  inftills  new 
Principles  and  a  new  Temper  into  them,  and  puts  them 
under  a  new  Difcipline,  and  all  Things  are  new  to  them. 
So,  here,  from  being  without  God  and  without  Hope  in  the 
World,  and  from  running  to  eternal  Ruin,  we  are  taken 
and  are  brought  into  God's  Family,  have  a  new  Temper 
given  to  us,  have  a  new  Father,  and  are  under  a  new  Go 
vernment.     God's  fatherly  Eye  is  upon  us  every  Hour, 
and  he  is  daily  labouring  to  bring  us  up  to  his  Hand,  to 
train  us  up  to  his  Mind,  to  make  us  fuch  as  he  would  have 
us  be.     He  contrives  and  takes  all  Manner  of  Ways,  by 
his  Spirit,  &  by  his  Providence,  and  by  his  Word,  to  make 
us  more  ferious,   fpiritual  and  heavenly,  more  humble, 
weaned  from  the  World  and  devoted  to  God.     And  thus 

He 


412         True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

He  purgeth  us,  that  we  may  bring  forth  more  Fruit.  Joh.  1 5.2. 
He   enlightens,   he  leads,   he  teaches,  he  quickens,   he 
ftrengthens, he  comforts  us.  Heb.  8.  10,  n,  12.  Ifai. 4.0.^1. 
When  we  want  it,  he  inftructs  us.   I  Job.  2.27.  Jam  i.  5. 
When  we  want  it,  he  corrects  us.  Heb.  12.6.    And  when 
we  heed  it,  he  encourages  and  comforts  us.  2  Cor.  12.  9. 
When  we  love  him  and  keep  his  Commands,  he  manifefts 
himfelf  unto  us.  Job.  14.  21.    And  when  our  fpiritual 
Enemies  are  too   ftrong  for  us,  and  our  Heart  and  our 
Strength  fails,  our  Steps  are  flipping,  our  Feet  juft  gone  ; 
in  the  diftrefling  Juncture  he  puts  underneath  his  everlaft- 
ing  Arms,  he  takes  us  by  the  right  Hand,  he  prevents 
us  by  his  Grace  ;  and  e'er  we  are  aware,  we  have  gotten 
the  Victory,  and  begin  to  fay,  Whom  have  we  in  Heaven 
but  thee  ?  And  there  is  none  on  Earth   we  defire  befides  thee. 
OurFk/h  &?  our  Heart  failethJutGodis  theStrength  of  our  Heart, 
and  our  Portion  for  ever  :  And  O,  //  is  good  for  us  to  draw 
-near  to  God.  Pfal.  73.  And  if  at  any  Time  we  forfake  him, 
he  follows  after  us,  and  vifits   our  ^ranfgreffions  with  the 
Rod,,  and  our  Iniquities  with  Stripes  ;  but  never  breaks  his 
Covenant  with    us.  Pfal.  89.  30 — 34.  He  hedges  up  our 
Way  with  Thorns,  &  brings  us  to  a  hearty  Return.  Hof.  2. 
6,  7.  And  thus  we  are  kept  by  the  Power  of  God  thro'  Faith 
unto  Salvation,   i  Pet.  1.5.  And  finally  are  brought  to  the 
full  Vifiorr   and  perfect  Fruition  of  God  to  all  Eternity. 
Rom.  8.  30. 

Now  Faith  in  Chrift  intitles  us  to  all  this,  by  Virtue  of 
that  divine  Conftitution,  which  we  call  the  Gofpel  or  Cove 
nant  of  Grace  -,  by  Virtue  of  that  new  and  living  Way  of 
Salvation,  which  God  the  great  Governour  of  the  World 
has  contrived  and  provided,  ratified  and  confirmed,  the 
Sum  of  which  is  contained  in  Job.  3.  16.  Which  Cqnfti- 
tution  God  has  been  pleafed  to  confirm  by  an  Oath,  to  the 
Intent  we  might  have  ftrong  Confolationy  who  have  fled  for 
Refuge^  to  lay  hold  on  the  Hope  fet  before  us.  He  has  faid, 
He  that  believeth  Jhall  be  faved,  and  he  has  confirmed  it  by 
an  Oath)  to  remove  all  Doubt,  and  to  give  the  higheft 
pofiible  AfTurance.  Heb.  6.  17,  18.  And  now  being  aflur-- 
ed  that  this  Way  of  Salvation  may  be  depended  upon,,  as 
being  contrived  and  confirmed  by  God  himfelf  -,  hence, 

hens 


and  diftinguijhtd frtim  all  Counterfeits.  413 

here  we  reft  fecure  and  fafe.  —  We  know  that  this  new 
Conflitution  muft  be  from  God,  becaufe  the  whole  Plan  is 
altogether  divine  :  It  is  juft  like  God  :  God  can't  but  be 
pleaied  with  it :  It  is  perfectly  fuited  to  exalt  God,  to 
magnify  the  Law,  to  diftountenance  Sin,  to  humble  the 
Sinner  and  to  glorify  Grace :  and  if  Sinners  are  ever 
faved,  it  is  infinitely  lit  that  they  fhould  be  faved  in  fuch  a 
Way,  and  in  no  other.  There  is  fuch  an  apparent  Refem- 
blanceof  the  divineNature  &  Perfect  ions  in  this  wholePlan, 
as  is  fufficient  to  afllire  theHeart  that  it  is  from  God.  None 
but  God  could  be  the  Author  of  it.  2  Cor.  4.  3,4,  6. — 
And  being  in  the  firft  Place,  affured  that  it  is  from  God : 
We  have,  in  the  fecond  Place,  the  highefl  Afiurance  that 
God  will  abide  by  it  and  act  according  to  it.  For/r/?,  we 
have  his  Promife  ;  and  fecondly,  we  have  his  Oath :  So  that 
there  can  be  no  reafonable  Doubt  remaining.  —  And  now 
upon  this  Foundation  does  the  true  Believer  build  all  his 
Hopes  and  Expectations,  here  is  the  Bottom  of  all.  For 
if  I  am  allured,  that,  by  divine  Grace,  I  do  rightly  under- 
ftand  the  Gofpel,  and  am  brought  to  a  genuine  Compliance 
therewith  ;  now  then  I  am  fafe,  if  the  Gofpel  be  TRUE, 
and  if  that  Way  of  Salvation  may  CERTAINLY  be  de 
pended  on,  if  it  be  no  cunningly  devifedFable,  but  a  Way  of 
God's  own  Contrivance,  and  which  he  will  CERTAINLY 
abide  by.  A  clear,  rational,  fpiritual  Conviction  and  Aflli- 
ranee  of  this,  is  the  very  Anchor  of  the  Soul,  fure  andftedfaft. 
Heb.  6.  19. 

If  Mankind  had  remained  in  a  State  of  fure  Nature,  i.  e. 
under  no  Conftitution  at  all,  under  nothing  but  merely 
the  Law  of  Nature,  i.  e.  To  have  been  guided  and  direded 
to  their  Duty,  and  to  have  been  rewarded  or  punifhed  by 
God,  only  and  merely  by  and  according  to  the  Reafon  and 
Nature  of  Things  :  If  this  had  been  the  Cafe,  then  fo  long 
as  every  Individual  ihould  be  continued  inBeing  by  God, 
and  fhould  continue  to  love  God  with  all  his  Heart,  and 
obey  him  in  every  Thing  ;  fo  long  every  Individual  would 
be  perfectly  happy.  But  then,  God  might  without  Injuftice 
let  one  or  all  drop  into  Non-Exiftence,  if  he  pleafed,  and 
when  he  pleafed,  altho'  perfedly  holy.  Job  2 2.  2.  &  35-7- 

Or,  if  he  was  pleafed  to  continue  one  and  all  in  Being  for 
^  >  _   *  ~ ever  . 


414          True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

ever  \  yet  at  what  Time  fcever  any  Ihould  commit  the 
leaft  Sin,  that  Soul  fhould  immediately  fink  down  into  an 
eternal  Hell.  Rom.  6.  23.  A  Thoufand  Years  of  perfect 
Obedience,  by  the  mere  Law  of  Nature,  not  intitling  to 
any  Promife  for  the  Time  to  come.  God's  giving  and 
continuing  Being  to  us,  and  granting  us  Advantages  to 
know  and  love  and  ferve  him,  would  render  us  infinitely 
indebted  to  God  ;  but  our  knowing,  loving  and  ferving 
God  could  not  bring  him  at  all  into  Debt  to  us.  Rom.  1 1. 
35,  36.  Our  doing  fo  would  naturally  render  us  happy, 
fo  long  as  v/e  fhould  continue  to  do  fo  •,  but  if,  at  any 
Time,  we  fhould  be  guilty  of  the  leaft  Defeat,  all  would 
be  loft,  and  we  undone  for  ever. 

But  then,  by  and  according  to  the  Confiitution  with 
Adam,  Things  were  placed  upon  another  Foot.  The  eter 
nal  Welfare  of  Mankind  was  fufpended  upon  anoiherCon- 
dition.  For  according  to  this  Conftitution,  if  Adam  the 
publickHead  and  Reprefentative  of  Mankind,  had  remain 
ed  obedient  for  fome  certain  Period  of  Time,  he  and  all 
his  Pofterity  would,  by  the  free  and  gracious  Promife  of 
God,  have  been  entitled  to  everlafting  Life  :  as  on  the 
other  Hand,  if  he  finned,  all  would  be  expofed  to  eternal 
Death. 

But  now,  FAITH  in  Chrift  intitles  us  to  eternal  Life,  by 
Virtue  of  a  new  Conftitution,  called  the  Gofpel  or  Covenant 
of  Grace,  made  and  confirmed  by  the  God  of  Heaven. 

The  perfect  Obedience  of  Adam.,  had  he  flood,  would 
not  have  intitled  us  to  eternal  Life,  notwithftanding  he  was 
our  natural  Head,  if  he  had  not  been  made  our  Reprefen 
tative  by  a  divine  Confiitution  :  So  the  perfect  Obedience 
and  Sufferings  of  Chrift  would  not  have  freed  us  fromCon- 
demnation  and  entitled  us  to  eternal  Life,  whateverDepen- 
dance  we  might  have  had  upon  him  •,  if  by  a  divine  Con 
ftitution  it  had  not  been  appointed  and  confirmed,  that  he 
that  believeth  Jhall  be  faved. 

By  and  according  to  the  Law  of  Nature,  our  own  perfo- 
nal  Obedience  would  have  recommended  us  to  the  Favour 
of  God,  and  laid  the  Foundation  of  our  Happinefs,  fo  long 
as  we  fhould  have  continued  in  a  State  of  fmlefsPerfection. — 

By  the  frft  Covenant,  the  Conftitution  with  Adam,  his  per 
fect 


and  diftinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits. 

feet  Obedience,  thro'  his  appointed  Time  of  Trial^  would, . 
by  Virtue  of  that  Constitution  or  Covenant,  have  entitled 
us  to  everlafting  Life. —  By  the  fecond  Covenant.,  the  perfect 
Righteoufnefs  of  Chrift  the  fecond  Adam^  entitles  all  true 
Believers  to  everlafting  Life,  by  and  according  to  this  new 
and  living  Way. 

A  perfecl:  Righteoufnefs  was  necefiary  according  to  the 
Lav/  of  Nature.  And  a  perfecl  Righteoufnefs  is  infilled 
upon  in  both  Covenants.  According  to  the  Law  of  Na 
ture,  it  was  to  be  performed  ferfonally  :  But  according  to 
both  Covenants,  it  is  appointed  to  be  performed  by  a  public 
Head. —  According  to  the  tirft  Covenant,  we  were  to  have 
been  interefted  in  the  Righteoufnefs  of  our  publick  Head, 
by  Virtue  of  our  Union  to  him  as  his  Poflerity  for  whom 
he  was  appointed  to  act. —  According  to  the  fecond  Co 
venant,  we  are  interefted  in  the  Righteoufnefs  of  Chrift  our 
public  Head,  by  Virtue  of  our  Union  to  him  by  Faith. 

Our  Faith  is  that  whereby  we  unite  to  Chrift.  The 
Act  is  a  uniting  Aft.  We  difunite,  feparate  from  and  re 
nounce,  that,  to  which, we  before  were  united  and  did  clofe 
with  and  placed  our  Hopes  upon,  viz.  our  ownRighteouf- 
nefs  •,  and  are  no  more  emboldened  by  that  to  come  into 
the  Prefence  of  God  :  And  we  unite  to  Chrift,  defiring  to 
be  found,not  in  our  felves,but  in  him  ;  not  in  our  ownRigh- 
teoufnefs,  but  in  his.  Phil.  3.  8,  9.  And  from  him  we 
take  Encouragement  to  draw  nigh  to  God  ;  we  come  in 
HIS  NAME.  Heb.  4.  16.  And  now,  by  Virtue  of  a  divine 
Conftitution  eftablifhed  by  the  Governour  of  the  World, 
all,  who  thus  unite  to  Chrift  by  Faith,  are  confidered  as  be 
ing  one  with  him,  fo  as  to  have  an  Intereft  in  what  he  has 
done  and  fuffered  in  theCharacter  of  a  Mediator  as  a  publick 
Perfon,  fo  as  upon  the  Account  thereof  to  be  pardoned  and 
received  to  Favour,  and  entitled  to  eternal  Life.  Rom.  5. 
1 8,  19.  Efh.  i.  6.  Rom.  3.  24,  25. 

And  now,  this  Faith,  this  uniting  Act,  being  the  Condi 
tion,  the  only  Condition,  required  on  our  Part,  by  the  Cove 
nant  of  Grace,  we  beingjttftijied  by  Faith  without  the  Deeds 
cf  the  Law  -,  Hence,  Faith  is  faid  to  be  imputed  to  us  for 
Righteoufnefs.  Rom.  4.  For  Righteoufnefs  i.  e.  for  that 
whereby  vtzftand  Right  according.  tQ  the  Yeaour  of  the  new 

Covenant, 


4i 6       True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

Covenant,  i.  e.  for  a  full  Compliance  with  the  Condition  of 
the  new  Covenant.     As  perfect  Obedience  was  a  Compli 
ance  with  the  Covenant  of  Works  j  fo  Faith  is  a  Compli 
ance  with  the  Covenant  of  Grace.     Now  as  perfect  Obedi 
ence,  thro'  his  whole  Time  of  Trial,  would  have  been  im 
puted  to  Adam  for  Right eoufnefs^  i.  e.  for  2^  full  Compliance 
with  the  Condition  of  that  Covenant :  So  now  Faith  is  im 
puted  for  Right eoufnefs,  i.  e.  for  a/«//  Compliance  with  the 
Condition  of  this  Covenant.     For  St.  Paul  had   but  juft 
been  proving,  that  we  tttjuftijiedby  Faith  ALONE,  without 
the  Deeds  of  the  Law  •,  and  now  this  being  the  ONLY  Con 
dition  required,  therefore  he  fays,  //  is  accounted  as  a  full 
Compliance  with  the  new  Covenant,   /.  e.  it  is  imputed  for 
Righteoufnefs.     It  being  the  only  Thing  required  as  a  Con 
dition  of  Life,  by  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  hence  it  is  looked 
upon  in  the  Sight  of  God  acc©rdingly,as  being  a /^//Com 
pliance  with  that  Covenant. —  The  Covenant  of  Works  in 
filled  upon  perfect  Obedience,  becaufe  Adam  was  to  have 
been  jiiftified,  merely  by,  and  wholly  upon  the  Account  of, 
his  own  Virtue  and  Goodnefs  :  And  theCovenant  of  Grace 
infifts  UfOliFaitb  alone  without  theDeeds  of  the  Z,<ra;,becaufe 
now  we  are  juftified,  merely  by,  and  wholly  upon  the  Ac 
count  of,   thrift's  Virtue  or  Righteoufnefs,  without  Re 
gard  to  anyGoodnefs  in  us.  But  to  him  that  WORKETH  NOT, 
but  believeth  on  him  that  juftifieth  the  UNGODLY,  his  Faith 
is  counted  for  Righteoufnefs.  Rom.  4.  5.  /.  e.  for  a  FULL 
Compliance  with  the  new  Covenant,  without   the  Deeds  of 
the  Law.     For  as  to  a  legal  Right eoufnefs ,  Chrift  is  the  End 
cf  the  Law  for  Righteoufnefs  to  them  that  believe.  Rom.  10.5. 
And  in  that  Senfe,we  are  not  to  be  found  in  ourownRigh- 
teous,  but  in  his.  Phil.  3.  8. 

Thus,  according  to  the  Law  of  Nature,  every  Man 
would  have  been  juftified  by  his  own  perfonal  Righteouf 
nefs.  And  according  to  the  firft  Covenant,  every  Child  of 
Adam  would  have  been  juftified  by  Adaris  Righteoufnefs 
as  publick  Head.  And  according  to  the  fecond  Covenant, 
every  Believer  is  to  be  juftified  by  Chrift's  Righteoufnefs 
as  another  publick  Head.  The  firft  of  thefe  Ways  takes 
it's  Rife  from  the  Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things  ;  but  the 
feq&nd  and  third  from  the  pofitivc  Appointment  of  God. 

The 


and  diftinguij'hed from  all  Counterfeits.  417 

The  Angels,  it  feems,  were  dealt  with  according  to  the  fir  ft 
of  theie  Ways,  only  their  State  of  Probation,  thro'  Grace, 
not  to  be  perpetual  •,  for,no  Doubt,thofe  that  ftood,  are  now 
in  a  confirmed  State  :  but  Mankind  are  dealt  with  accor 
ding  to  the  fecond  and  third. 

The  firft  of  thefe  Ways  a  fallen  World  pretend  fome 
liking  to,  but  the  other  two  have  given  great  Offence. 
"  How  is  it  right  we  fhould  be  condemned  for  Adam's  Sin  ? 
"  Or  with  what  Propriety  can  we  be  juftified  on  the  Ac- 
"  count  of  (Thrift's  Righteoufnefs  ?"  is  the  Language  of 
very  many.  "  It  is  unjuft  to  condemn  me  for  the  Sin  of 
"  another,  and  abfurd  to  juftify  me  for  another's  Righte 
oufnefs,"  fay  they.  And  as  to  the  firft  of  thefe  Ways,they 
would  have  the  Law  abated  in  what  it  requires,  and  quite 
difannul'd  as  to  it's  threatening  Death  for  the  leaft  Sin. 
They  would  have  what  they  call  fincere  Obedience  admit 
ted  as  a  Condition  of  Life,  and  Repentance  to  be  accepted 
in  Cafe  of  Sin.  So  that  an  apoftate  World  are  naturally 
equally  at  Enmity  againft  the  firft,  fecond  and  third,  right 
ly  underftood.  For  they  think  it  full  as  unjuft  that  God 
fhould  damn  us  for  the  leaft  Defect  of  perfed  Obedience, 
as  for  Mam's  firft  Sin.  Anfd  it  is  nothing  but  divineLight 
can  bring  the  Heart  of  a  Sinner  fincerely  to  approve  of  the 
Law  of  Nature,  of  the  Conftitution  with  Adam^  and  of  the 
Gofpel  of  Chrift.  For  (i  Cor.  2.  14..)  the  natural  Man 
receiveth  not  the  Things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  :  for  they  are 
Fooli/hnefs  unto  him  -,  neither  can  he  know  them,  becaufe  they 
are  fpirituatty  difcerned.  He  does  not  difcern  the  Ground 
and  Reafon  of  the  Law  of  Nature,  being  blind  to  the  infi 
nite  Beauty  of  the  divine  Perfe&ions  :  and  fo  is  incapaci 
tated  to  have  a  right  View  and  Senfe  of  the  Nature  of  the 
firft  Covenant  or  the  fecond.  And  being  a  Stranger  and 
an  Enemy  to  God,  he  alfo  naturally  doubts,  whether  he 
has  full  Power  and  rightful  Authority  to  make  fuch  Con- 
ftitutions  ;  he  diflikes  theConftitutions  ;  he  queftions  God's 
Authority  to  make  fuch  \  their  being  fo  plainly  held  forth 
in  theBible,tempts  many  to  call  even  theTruth  of  that  into 
Queftion  ;  and  fome  are  driven  quite  to  open  Infidelity. 

There  is  a  fecret  Infidelity  in  the  Hearts  of  unregeneratc 
Men,    They  do  not  love  that  divine  Scheme  of  Truths  re- 

E  e  vealed 


4i  8          'True  Religion  delineated    Dis.  II. 

vcaled  in  the  Bible,  nor  cordially  receive  it  for  true.  Men 
love  to  cut  out  a  Scheme  of  Religion  in  their  Heads,  to 
fuit  the  Temper  of  their  Hearts.  And  from  this  Root 
do  all  the  falfe  and  erroneous  Principles,  which  fill  the 
Chriftian  World,  originally  take  their  Rife,  z  Tbef.  2.  10, 
ii,  12.  But  when  he  that  commanded  the  Light  to  fhine 
out  of  Darknefs,  mines  in  the  Heart  and  gives  fpi ritual 
Light ;  then  the  Reafonablenefs,  Beauty  and  Glory  of  the 
•whole  Scheme  appear,  and  the  very  Refemblance  of  the 
divine  Perfections  is  to  be  feen  in  every  Branch  of  it.  And 
now  it  is  cordially  believed.  Job.  8.  47.  And  hereby  a 
folid  Foundation  is  laid  for  a  real  Conformity  to  the  Law, 
and  a  genuine  Compliance  with  the  Gofpel  -9  in  both  which 
true  Religion  does  confift. 

Thus  we  have  gone  thro9  what  was  propofed.  And  we 
fee  why  God  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  did  confi- 
der  Mankind  as  ferijhingi  fallen,  fmful,  guilty,  juftly  con 
demned,  helplefs  and  undone  :  and  we  fee  that  his  Defign 
of  Mercy  originally  took  it's  Rife  from  the  meer  felf-mov- 
ing  Goodnefs  of  his  Nature,  and  fovereign  good  Pleafure  : 
and  we  fee  the  Neceffity  there  was  of  a  Mediator,  and  how 
the  Way  of  Life  has  been  opened  by  him  whom  God  has 
provided  :  And  we  fee  wherein  a  genuineCompliance  with 
the  Gofpel  does  confift,  and  the  Nature  of  a  true  Faith  in 
Chrift :  And  we  fee  what  is  implied  in  the  everlafting  'Life 
that  is  promifed  to  Believers,  and  how  Faith  interefts  us  in 
the  Promife,  and  how  that  the  Covenant  is  in  all  Things 
well  ordered  and  fure. —  And  now  there  is  a  wide  Field 
opened  for  a  large  Improvement,  in  many  doctrinal  and 
practical  Inferences  and  Remarks. For, 

i.  It  is  very  natural  to  make  the  fame  Obfervations  here 
with  Regard  to  a  genuine  Compliance  with  the  Gofpel^  as 
were  before  made  with  Refpect  to  a  real  Conformity  to  the 
Law.  For,  from  what  has  been  faid,  we  may  eafily  fee, 
wherein  confifts  thatLife  of  Faith  in  Chrift,  which  true  Be 
lie  vers  live  -9— That  all  unregenerateMen  are  entirely  deftitute 
of  this  true  Faith  in  Chrift  ;  — Yea,  diametrically  oppofite 
thereunto  in  the  Temper  of  their  Minds  j — And  therefore 
can't  be  brought  to  it  but  by  the  almighty  Power  and  all- 
conquering 


and  diftinguijbed from  all  Counterfeits.  419 

conquering  Grace  of  God  ;  —  That  there  is  nothing  in 
them  to  move  God  to  do  this  for  them,  but  every  Thing 
to  the  contrary  —  That  God  is  at  perfect  Liberty  to  have 
Mercy  on  whom  he  will  according  to  his  fovereign  Plea- 
fure —  That  it  is  reafonable  to  think,  that  the  fame  fove 
reign  good  Pleafure,  which  moves  him  to  be  the  Author, 
will  move  him  to  be  the  Finiftier  of  our  Faith  —  That  true 
Faith,  being  thus  fpecifically  different  from  every  Counter 
feit,  may  therefore  be  difcerned  and  known,  &c.  But  be- 
caufe  I  have  already  been  Larger  than  at  firft  I  defigned, 
therefore  I  will  omit  thefe,  and  all  other  Remarks  which 
might  be  made  ;  and  will  conclude, 

2.  With  only  this  one  Obfervation,  viz.  That  if  thefe 
Things  be  true,  which  have  been  faid  concerning  the  Na 
ture  of  Faith  and  the  Way  of  Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro' 
Chrift,  and  concerning  that  View  of  Things  which  the 
trueBeliever  has  •,  then  nothing  is  more  plain  and  evident, 
than  that  the  true  Believer  muft  needs  feel  himfelf  to  be 
under  the  ftrongeft  Obligations  poffible,  to  an  entire  De- 
votednefs  to  GOD  and  a  Life  of  univerfal  Holinefs.  Every 
Thing  meets,  in  that  View  of  Things  which  he  has,  to 
bind  his  Soul  for  ever  to  the  Lord.  One  main  Defign  of 
the  Gofpel  was  to  make  Men  holy  ;  and  it  is  in  it's  Na 
ture  perfectly  well  adapted  to  anfwer  the  End. 

For  now  all  the  natural  Obligations,  we  are  under. to 
love  God  and  live  to  him,  are  feen  in  a  divineLight  •,  fuch 
as  arife  from  the  infinite  Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature, 
God's  entire  Right  to  us  and  Authority  over  us :  And  their 
binding  Nature  is  exhibited  in  a  more  ftriking  and  aftect- 
ing  Manner  in  the  Gofpel,  than  in  the  Law  j  the  Crofs  of 
Chrift  gives  a  more  lively  Reprefentation  of  the  infinite 
Evil  of  Sin,  than  all  the  Thunders  of  Mount  Sinai.  And 
a  Sight  of  our  naturalObligations  are  attended  with  aSenfe 
of  all  the  additional  facred  Ties,  arifmg  from  the  infinite 
Goodnefs  of  God  to  a  guilty  ruined  World  in  providing 
a  Saviour,  and  from  the  dying  Love  of  Chrift,  and  from 
the  free  Gift  of  converting  Grace,  and  from  pardoning 
Mercy,  and  from  God's  Covenant-Love  and  Faithfulnefs, 
and  from  the  raifed  Expe&ations  of  eternal  Glory  :  All 
which  muft  join  to  beget  a  right  Senfe  of  Sin,  as  being  & 

E  e  2 


42  o          *True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  IL 

Thing,  in  it  felf,  the  moft  unfit,  unreafonable  and  wicked, 
as  well  as  infinitely  difmgenuous  and  ungrateful  to  God, 
and  concur  to  make  it  appear  as  the  worft  of  Evils,  the 
jnoft  to  be  hated,  dreaded,  watched  and  prayed  againft. 
And  a  humble  Heart,  full  of  Self-Diffidence,  and  under  a 
Senfe  of  the  divine  All-fufficience,  and  in  a  firm  Belief  of 
the  Truth  of  theGofpel,  will  moft  naturally,  and  as  it  were 
continually,  apply  it  felf,  by  Faith  and  Prayer,  to  God 
thro'  Chrift,  to  be  kept  from  all  Sin,  and  to  be  preferved 
to  the  heavenly  Kingdom.  So  that  thofe  Views,  which  the 
true  Believer  has,  have  the  ftrongeft  Tendency  to  univer- 
fal  Holinefs,  and  do  naturally  lay  a  folid  Foundation  for  it. 
And  thofeViews  are  not  only  maintained  in  a  greater  or  lefs 
Degree  from  Day  to  Day,  by  the  gracious  Influence  of  the 
holy  Spirit,  which  dwells  in  them  ;  but  are  increafing  and 
brightening  thro'  the  Courfe  of  their  Lives.  So  that  as  the 
grand  Defign  of  the  Gofpel  is  to  make  Men  holy,  fo  it  is 
perfectly  well  adapted  in  it's  Nature  to  anfwer  the  End. 
And  therefore  be  that  is  born  of  God^finneth  not ;  and  how 
JJjall  we  that  are  dead  to  &'»,  live  any  longer  therein  ?  And 
fuch  like  Scriptures,  muft,  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  be 
found  to  be  true,  in  the  Experience  of  every  real  Believer. 
Nor  can  any  but  gracelefs  Hypocrites  be  emboldened,  by 
the  Doctrines  of  tree  Grace,  to  fin,  as  it  were  upon  free 
Coft  :  and  a  double  Vengeance  will  they  pull  down  upon 
their  guilty  Heads. 

Particularly,the  wholeFrame  &  Tenour  of  theGofpel  na 
turally  tends  to  excite  us  to  a  univerfal  Benevolence  to  Man 
kind  in  Imitation  of  the  infinite  Goodnefs  of  the  divine 
Nature  •,  and  even  to  be  benevolent  &  kind  to  the  Evil  and 
Unthankful,  &  to  thofe  in  whom  there  is  no  Motive  to  ex 
cite  our  goodwill,  but  much  to  the  contrary  •,  and  to  love 
our  Enemies,  and  blefs  them  that  curfe  us,  and  do  Good 
to  them  that  hate  us,  and  pray  for  them  that  defpitefully 
ufe  us  and  perfecute  us.  It  is  impoflible  when  we  fee  the 
infinite  Beauty  of  the  felf-moving  Goodnefs  of  the  divine 
Nature  as  exercifed  in  the  whole  Affair  of  ourRedemption 
and  Salvation,  towards  Creatures  fo  infinitely  vile,  unwor 
thy  and  ill-deferving,  but  that  we  fhould  love  that  glori 
ous  Gocdne£,  and  be  changed  into  the  fame  Image,  and 

have 


and  difemguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  421 

have  it  become  natural  to  us  to  love  Enemies,  and  forgive 
Injuries,  and  be  like  God.  A  malicious  Chriflian^  zfpight- 
ful  Believer^  is  the  greateft  Contradi&ion,  and  the  moft  un 
natural  Thing. 

That  which  has  had  no  fmall  Hand  in  bringing  theDoc- 
trines  of  Grace  into  Contempt  in  the  World,  as  tending  to 
Licentioufnefs,  is  partly,  becaufe  they  have  not  been  rightly 
underftood,  and  partly  thro5  the  wicked  Lives  of  gracelefs 
Hypocrites,  who  have  made  a  high  Profeffion.  What  re 
mains  now  therefore  but  that  the  People  of  God,  by  holy 
and  exemplary  Lives,  fhould  convince  the  WorW,thatthefe 
are  Doftrines  according  to  Godlinefs. 

I  befeech  you  therefore  by  the  Mercies  of  God>  that  ye  pre- 
fent  your  Selves  a  living  Sacrifice^  holy  and  acceptable  to  God9 
which  is  your  reafonable  Service.  For  you  are  not  your  owny 
but  bought  with  a  Price :  And  that  not  of  Silver  and  Gold, 
but  of  the  precious  Blood  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  therefore 
live  no  more  to  your  Selves ,  but  to  him  that  died  for  you.  And 
be  ye  Followers  of  God  as  dear  Children.  BleJJed  be  God,  for 
the  unfpeakable  Gift  of  his  Son.  AMEN. 


FINIS. 


THE 


CONTENTS  of  the///?  Difcourfe. 


e  Religion  conffts  in  a  Confer- 
mity  to  the  Law  and  Compliance 
'with  the  Gofpel.  Page  I 

The  Law  requires  us  to  Love  God 
with  all  our  Hearts,  and  our 
Neighbour  as  our  felves.  2 

Love  to  God  implies  right  Appre- 
henfions  efhimyandaSenfe  of  his 
Amiablenefs.  3 

That  we  efteem  him>  fo  as  to  exult 
in  bis  Supremacy.  7 

So  <value  his  Honour  &  Intereft>  as 
to  le  devoted  to  him.  9 

So  delight  in  him,  as  to  live  upon  him 
as  the  Portion  of  our  Souls.  i  z 

Lowe  to  God  takes  its  Rife  ori 
ginally,  from  a  Senfe  of  his  infinite 
Glory  and  Amiablenefs.  1 6 

His  infinite  Glory  rejults  from  all 
his  Perfections.  1 7 

All  his  Perfections  are  manifejled 
in  his  Works.  1 8 

And  in  his  Word.  42 

A  Senfe  of  his  Glory  is  imparted  to 
the  Soul  by  the  immediate  Influence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  45 

The  infinite  Glory  and  Amiablenefs 
of  God  lays  us  under  fuck  an  Obli 
gation  to  love  God,  as  is  binding, 
antecedently  to  any  felfilh  Confe 
deration.  46 

Infinitely.  48 

Eternally.  57 

And  unchangeably.  59 

And  from  hence  all  our  other  Obli 
gations  to  lo<ve  and  worjbip  him  as 
GODtoriginally  derive  their  bind 
ing  Nature.  77 

'•  AJhort  View  of  our  additio 

nal  Obligations  to  love  God.     8 1 
H0w  they  influence  a  trm  Saint.      8  5 


True  Love  diftinguijhed  from  all 
Counterfeits.  89 

The  Law  requires  us  to  love  God 
with  all  our  Hearts.  93 

Making  no  Allowances  becaufe  of 
our  Difmclination.  95 

But  fence  it  requires  no  more  than  all 
the  Heart,  //  is  juft  &  equal.  97 

//  being  upon  a  Level  with  our  na 
tural  Capacities.  98 

And  our  Inability  topcrfefl  Holinefs 
arifes  only  from  our  Badnefs.  99 

Which  Badnefs  we  are  voluntary 
in.  104 

There  is  no  Reafon  why  the  Law 
Jhould  be  abated.  i  o  8 

We  are  wholly  to  blame  for  not 
perfectly  conforming  to  it.  1 1  o 

Even  the  Heathen  are  without 
Excufe.  114 

Much  more  inexcufable  are  thoje 
who  enjoy  the  Benefit  of  divine 
Revelation.  1 2 1 

GOD  is  nuder  no  natural  Obligati 
ons,  to  grant  fupernatural  Ad 
vantages  to  any  of  the  Children  of 
Men.  127 

And  may  therefore  aft  fovereignly 
in  doing  fo.  128 

•  Love  to  our  Neighbour  im 

plies  Efteem.  131 

Benevolence.  133 

And  Delight.  ibid. 

And  is  in  it's  own  Nature  right  and 
fit.  134 

And  enjoined  by  the  Authority  of 
God.  136 

And  recommended  by  the  Example 
of  God,  in  the  Exercifes  of  his  in 
jinite  Goodnefs  towards  the  Children 
of  Men.  ibid. 

And 


The   CONTENTS. 


And  ought  to  be  regulated  agreably 
to  a  true  Self-love.  137 

And  is  always  attended  with  true 
Love  to  God.  139 

//  is  a  Thing  different  from  na 
tural  Compaflion.  140 

Frcfi-  good  Humour.  Hid. 

From  natural  Affe&ion.  ibid. 

From  Party-fpirited  Love.          141 

From  any  Lowe  wbatfaver,  that 
arifes  merely  from  Self-love.'  142 

And  from  the  Lcve  'which  Enthuii- 
afts  and  Hereticks  have  to  one 
another.  143 

• Love  to  God  and  our  Neighboitr 

is   a   radical   Conformity    to   tie 
whole  Law.  143 

And  lays  the  Foundation  for  all  true 
Obedience.  144 

And  is  that  whereby  true  Religion  is 
dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counter 
feits.  145 

Which  all  arife  from  Self-love.  146 

—  From  the  whole  <we  may  learn. 
What  that  Image  of  GOD  was, 
in  which  Adam  was  created.  1 49 

That  we  are  born  deftitute  thereof. 

152 

And  natively  have  a  'Temper  con 
trary  thereto.  1 5  3 

Which  Temper  has  the  intire  Go 
vernment  of  us.  156 

So  that  all  we  do,while  unregene- 
rate,  is  Sin.  175 

And  therefore  our  beft  Doings  cant 
intitle  us  to  any  Promife  offpecial 
Grace.  1 76 

— Ccnverfion  confifts  in  our  Recovery 
from  this  Jinful  Temper,  to  the 
moral  Image  of  God,  by  the  Infu- 

.   ences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.          179 

And  becaufe  we  are  naturally  in 
clined  to  refill  his  Influences  with 
all  our  Might,  183 

Therefore  they  muft  be  fuch  cs  we 
can't  rejif,  or  we  Jhall  never  be 
recovered.  1 90 

Which  efeaual  Grace  is  difpenfed 
according  to  GotTs  fovereign  good 
Pleafure,  and  fows  from  bis  Self- 
moving  Goodnefs.  191 


And  ^tis  natural  to  fuppofe,  that  he 
who  infucbwife  begins  this  Work, 
will  carry  it  on,  and  fo  all  true 
Saints  perfe vere  to  the  End.  1 9  £ 

That  they  mujl  expecJ  fpiritual 
Conflicts  from  remaining  Corrup 
tion.  198 

Yet  AfTurance  may  be  obtained.  200 

Thefe  Confequences  are  undeniable^ 
if  the  Premifes,  touching  the  Na 
ture  of  the  Law,  are  true.  208 

But  if  the  Law  is  abated  and  al 
tered,  the  whole  Scheme  is  under 
mined,  ibid. 

And  fo  is  the  whole  Gofpel-Revela- 
tion  as  much.  211 

Or,  if  the  Law  means  fomething 
elfe  than  what  is  juppcfed^  2 1 4 

But  if  the  Idea,  which  the  Pela 
gians  and  Arminians  have  of  God 
and  the  Law,  is  right,  Sin  can  de- 
firve  no  PunimmentyVr  this  World, 
or  the  next.  215 

Nor  can  the  Scriptures  then  be  the 
Word  of  GOD.  21 8 

Rules  of  Trial.  220 

The  Caufe  we  have  to  be  humble, 
--and  thankful,—  and  live  intirely 
devoted  to  GOD.  229,237,238. 

The  Happinefs  of  fo  doing.  242 

Various  QUEST  IONS  occafio- 
nally  confidered  in  the  firft 
Difcourfe. 

rS  it  any  Matter  what  Mens  Prin- 

•*-  ciples  be,  if  their  Lives  are  but 
good  ?  Page  4 

Will  fpeculative  Ideas  of  God  be 
get  a  Senfe  of  his  Amiablenefs, 
in  a  Heart  that  has  no  Tafte  for 
moral  Beauty  ?  ibid. 

Does  all  our  Enmity  againfl  GOD 
arife  merely  from  our  conceiving 
him  to  be  our  Enemy  ?  7 

Are  all  Things  right,  or  wrong, 
merely  becaufe  GOD  wills  them  fo 
to  be  ?  29 

Or   merely  becaufe  they  do  or  do  not 

tend  1 9  make  us  happy  ?  30 

—  How 


The  C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S. 


was  it   conjjftent  with  Gcd*s 
Goodncfs  to  permit  Sin  ?          40 

Does  per  ft  El  Obedience  defcrve  any 
Thanks  at  the  Hands  of  God?  49 

Jn  what  Senfe  are  our  good  Works 
rewardable  ?  50 

Is  Sin  an  infinite  Evil  ?  and  does  it 
defers e  an  infimtePunffimexf  ?  54 

Can  future  Obedience  make  the  leaft 
Amends/^/-//?/?  Sins  ?  56 

Will  the  Sinfuliefs  end  Mifery  of 
the  Damned  be  for  ever  increaf- 
ing.  58 

Js  the  Law  abated  ?        60,95,21 1 

Or  wholly  repealed  ?  65 

What  Influence  have  falfe  Notions 
of  the  Law  on  Men's  Religion  ?  66 

What  do  Antinomians  make  their 
'Rule  of  Duty  ?  67 

Are  the  Threatnings  of  the  Law 
in  Force  ?  70 

Can  a  Man,,  merely  from  Self-love, 
love  God  more  than  himfclf?  93 

Is  our  Impotency  only  moral  ?      94 

Are  we  to  Blame  for  our  fpiritnal 
Blindnefs  ?  99 

Or  for  our  corrupt  Nature  ?       103 

What  is  if  that  brings  awakened 
Sinners  to  take  all  the  Blame  to 
themfelves,  &  juflifyGOD  ?  1 1  o 

Do  true  Believers  feel  themfelves 
wholly  to  Blame  for  not  being  per 
fectly  holy  ?  in 

Does  God's  witholding  the  fanfti- 
fying  Influences  of  his  holy  Spirit 
leflea  cur  Blame  ?  113 

Why  does  the  Scripture,  in  fome 
P laces,  fpeak  of  /^.external  Ad- 
wantages  of  God's  wjible  People,  as 
^f/rg-jnore  than  barely  fufhcientfcr 
their  beaming  good  Men  £3  as  M 
their  Power  ivas  fujpciext,  altho* 
the  fan&ifying  Influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  were  witbeld  from 
them  ?  izi 


What  is  corrupt  Nature  ?  153 

Is  it  natural,   or  contracted  ?     154 

Are  the  Unregenerate  intirely  un 
der  the  Government  of  it  ?  156 

Wherein  does  the  Sinfulnefs  of  it 
confifi?  157 

Why  dont  Mankind  fee  the  Sin 
fulnefs  of  it  ?  1 6 1 

Do  all  adlual  Sins  proceed  from 
it?  163 

Why  are  Sinners  fo  averfe  to  the 
-true  Knowledge  of  God,  and  fo 
blind  to  his  Beauty  ?  \  66 

What  is  the  Nature  of  retraining 
Grace  ?  i6S 

How  came  our  Nature  to  be  cor 
rupted  ?  171 

What  Good  does  it  do  for  Sinners  to 
ufe  A^Means  of  Grace  ?  1 7  8, 3  8 1 . 

What  is  the  fhorteft  and  eafiefl  Me 
thod  to  bring  the  main  Controver- 
Jies  between  Arminians  and  Cal- 
.  vinifts  to  a  fnal  IJJue  ?    193,207 

HO^JO  is  the  DocJrine  of  Perfeve- 
rance  confident  <ujith  all  the  Cau 
tions  given  to  Believers  to  take 
heed  left  they  fall  ?  1 97 

Is  it  a  Sin  for  Believers  ever  to 
doubt  of  their  good  Eftate  ?  205 

What  is .  the  moft  fundamental 
Difference  between  the  Arminians 
WCalvinifts  ?  214 

In  ivhat  Senfe  ere  wicked  Men 
ignorant  of  their  0ov;zHeart$  ?  229 

Why  does  a  Sight  of  the  Strifinefs 
of  the  Law  difcourage  Hypocrites, 
and  kill  their  Religion  ?  236 

Are  Believers  ever  as  blind  and 
dead,  and  as  much  without  all  fpi- 
ritual  Strength,  as  Unbelievers  ? 

241 

See  alfo   Page  181,199,226,399, 
408, 


The 


The  CONTENTS  of  \hzfecond Difcourfe. 


Introduction.         Page     247 
Of  the    Trinity,    and   of  the 

Chara&er  each  Perfon  fuftains  in 

the  Affair  of  our  Salvation.   249 
GOD  does  in  the  Gofpel  confider  us 

as  in  a  perifhing  Condition.      253 
Becaxfc  of  our  original  Apojlacy  in 

Adam.  255 

Who    was    conjlituted    our    publick 

Head.  355 

Which  Conftitution  was  'well  fuited 

to  the  general  Good  of  Mankind. 

261 

And  God  bad  Power   or  Right  ts 

make  it.  263 

And  becaufe  we  are  apoftate  Crea 

tures,  271 

Enemies  to  GOD,  272 

And  averfe    to    a    Reconciliation, 

ibid. 

As  fuch  the  Gofpel  confider  s  us.   274 
GOD  was  not  moved  to  pro 

vide  a  Saviour  for  us,    under  any 

Notion  that  the  Confitution  with 

ADAM  was  unjuft.  275 

Or  the  Law    of  Nature  too    fe- 

vere.  277 

Or  that  our  Impotency  renders  us 

the  lefs  to  Blame.  281 

Or  from  any    Expectation   that  we 

Jhould,  of  our  own  free  Accord,  fo 

much  as  heartily  thank  him  for  it. 

284 

But  intirely  from    his  own    Self- 

moving  Goodnefs,yra-  andfove- 

reign  Grace.  285 

-  -  The  NeceJJity  of  Satisfaction 

for  Sin  argued  from  ^Perfections 

of  GOD.  295 

From  Scripture. 
And  from  Fact. 
The   NeceJ/ity    of  the  Law's 
ed. 


308 
309 
being 
1  4 


—  —  GOD  may  now,  thro1  Chrift, 
conjiftcntly  with  his  own  Honour,, 
fave  any  that  believe.  337 

And  ufe  what  Means  he  pleafes  for 
tbeRecovery  ofobJlinateSinncrs.^^ 

A  View  of  the  Methods  of  divine 
Grace  with  Mankind,  frcm  the 
Beginning  of  the  World.  360 

-  ^genuineCompliance  with 
the  Gofpel.  384 

Saving  Faith.  388 

//  refults  from  divine  Light.       389 

Which  lays  a  Foundation  for  a  fuper- 
natural  Belief  of  the  Go/pel,  ibid. 

Regeneration,  Faith,  Repentance  and 
Confer/ion  connected  together.  ibid 

Spiritual  Light  &*  /r«?Faith  always 
in  Proportion.  390 

Humility  and  true  Faith  always  in 
Proportion.  391 

What  encourages  the  Sinner  to  be 
lieve  in  CHRIST.  392 

The  Att  of  Faith  defined.  393 

Faith  in  Chrift  emboldens  the  bum 
bled  Sinner  to  return  to  God  and 
truj}  in  him.  ibid. 

The  various  Aclings  of  Faith  diflin- 
guifhed.  394 

Faith  and  Holinefs  always  in  Pro 
portion.  397 

True  Faith  habitual,  growing,  and 

perfevering.  399 

The  Faith  of  the  Legal  and  of  the 

Evangelical  Hypocrite,  defcribed. 

401,403 

—  —  The  EverlafHng  Life  pro- 
mifedto  Believers  implies  the  e<ver- 
lafing  Love  c5"  Favour  of  GOD, 
and  the  everlafting  Indwelling  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  as  a  SanBifier. 


ooeyed.  3 1  i 

. The  Sufficiency  of  CHRIST' 

Satisfaction  and  Merit  321 

He  was  fit   to  be  a    Mediator    be 
tween  God  and  Man.  322 
Was  authorized.  325 
And  what  he  has  done,   is    per- 
feftly  fuited,    in  its  own  Nature, 
toanfatrallth&ifa  propofed.^b 


Of  the  Spirit  of  Adoption.  410 
Of  the  Seal  and  Witnefe  of  the  Spi 

rit.  41  1 

See  alfo  Page  204 

Of  the  marvellous  Change  made  by 

true  Converfion.  41  1 

How  Faith  interefs  us  in  CHRIST 

and  intitles  us  to  Life.  4  1  2 


adapted  to  makeMen  holy  .420,42  1 
F  f  Various 


The   CONTENTS. 


Various  QUESTIONS  occafi- 
onally  confidered  in  the 
fecond  Difcourfe. 


was  implied  in  the  Death 
threatnedto  Adam  ?    Pag.2$g 

What  is  the  Difference  between  the 
Law  of  Nature  and  the  firft  Co 
venant  ?  260,277,413 

What  is  it  that  does  moji  commonly 
convince  Men  of  the  Doftrine  of 
original  Sin  ?  268 

Why  is  original  Sin  no  oftner  fyoken 
of  in  Scripture  ?  269 

See  alfo    Page  173 

Were  ive  by  the  Fall  brought  into 
a  State  of  Being  worfe  than  not 
to  be?  288 

Ought  <we  to  be  thankful  for  our 
Beings  ?  289 

Is  it  tfBleffing  to  bavcChildren  ?  291 

What  is  the  Nature  of  Satisfaction 
for  Sin  ?  327 

Does  it  render  Sin  a  lefs  E<uil,ortakt 
away  its  natural  ill-Defert  ?  334 

Does  it  move  the  divineCompalfion  ? 

335 


before  Faith,  as  much 
under  /^Wrath  of  GOD  as  others, 
notiuith  (landing  the  Satisfaction  of 
Chrift.  336 

See  alfo  Page  73 

Wherein  conjifts  ourNeed  of  CHRIST, 
and  when  is  it  feen  ?  3 1 2,3 1 7 

Why  'was  Adamp/aced  in  a  State  of 
Probation  ?  315 

//  a  State  o/Trobation  confident  'with 
God's  making  his  Creature's  Hap- 
pinefs  his  laf  End  ?  318 

Are  all  the  common  Mercies  'which 
Mankind  enjoy,'  the  Ejfefts  of 
CHRIST'S  Merits  ?  346 

In  what  Senfe  did  CHRIST  die  for 
all  the  World?  338 

And  in  whatSenfe  only  for  theEleft  ? 

348 

Is  a  confirmed  Habit  of  Grace  be 
fore  the  firft  Aft  of  Faith,  or  af 
ter  ?  408 

Does  Faith  conjift  in  believing  that 
my  Sins  are  forgiven  ?  404 

Ste  alfo     Page  76,336. 


A 


A  Lift  of  SUB  SCR  IB  E  R  S, 

in  an  Alphabetical  Order. 


MR. 

Mr.  Jam 


..  Lemuel  Abbot,  Ridge  feld^  Connecticut. 
Mr.  John  Adams,   Canaan. 
[ames  Agard,  Litckfield. 
Capt.  William  Allen,  Newbury*  Maffachufetts^  6  Books, 
Mr.  James  Allen,  Bofton,  3  Books. 
Mr.  Daniel  Allen  -  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Jonathan  Atwood,  Woodbury. 
Mr.  Benjamin  Alvord,  Northampton^  Maffachufetts. 
Mr.  John  Andrews,  New-Hartford^  Connecticut. 
Mr.  William  Angier,  Cambridge. 
Mr.  Heber  Andrews. 
Mr.  John  Androfs  Bethlem,  Connecticut, 
Mr.  Elijah  Atwood. 
Capt.  Jofiah  Avered. 
Mr.  Reuben  Avered. 


/"]Apt.  John  Baker,  Woodbury*  Connecticut. 

1  Mr.  Jabez  Baker,  Glocefter,  Maffachufetts. 
Mr.  William  Baldwin,  Newton. 
Mr.  Caleb  Baldwin,  ---  Connecticut  , 
Mr.  Abner  Barnard,  Northampton. 
Mr.  John  Ball,  Bojlon. 
Mr.  Abel  Barns,  Litchfield,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Samuel  Bancroft,  jun.  Reading  Majfachufetts. 
Rcv.Mr.Ja,Beebeof  North-Stratfield£onnefficut,  12 

F  f  2 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

Deacon  Abraham  Bennet,  Newtown. 
•  Mr.  Nathan  Beers,  Stratford,  1 2  Books, 
Capt.  Samuel  Beebe,   Sal/bury. 
Mr.  John  Beebe,  Canaan. 
Mr.  James  Bellamy,  Weftbury. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Bean,  Cambridge,  Maffacbufctts. 
Mrs.  Rebecca  Beck,  Newbury,    6  Books. 
Mr.  Jacob  Benton,  Harrington,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Ifaac  Benton. 
Mr.  Timothy  Benedic,  Ridgefeld. 
Rev.  Mr.  Edward  Billings,   Cold-Spring,  Majfacbufetts,. 
Mr.  James  Bird,   Litcbfield,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Jabez  Bingham,  Salt/bury. 
Mr.  Daniel  Bingham,  Soli/bury. 
Capt.  Benjamin  Blaney,  Maiden,  Ma/acbufetts. 
Mr.  David  Boland,  Woodbury,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Ifaac  Bonton. 
Mr.  John  Botsford,  Newtown. 
Mr.  liphraim  Botsford, 
Mr,  Amos  Botsford, 
Mr.  Jofeph  Botsford, 
Mr  Gideon  Botfcford. 
Mr.  Mofes  Boardman,  jun.  Cambridge. 
William  Brattle,  Efq;  Cambridge. 
Mr.  Edward  Bromfieid,  Bofton,  Merchant. 
Revi  Mr. James  Brown,  Loxg-lfland,  New-Tork,  iiBook. 
Rev.  Mr.  Daniel  Brinimade,  Judea,  Connecticut,  36  Books. 
Rev.  Mr.  Samuel  Buel,  Long- I/land,  New-Tork,  6  Books. 
Deacon  Stephen  Burr,   Reading,  Connecticut,   2  Books. 
Mr.  William  Burroughs,  Bofton. 
Mr.  Gerfhom  Bunnel,  Norivalk,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Jacob  Burn. 
Mr.  Benjamin  Butler,  Cambridge, 
Rev.  Mr.  Mather  Byles,    Bofton. 

C. 

\TR.  Andrew  Cambell,  Bolt  on, 

Benjamin  Church,   A.  M.  Bojlon,  2  Books. 
Mr.  Aaron  Chapin,  Bofton. 
Mr.  Francis  Choate,    Iffwicb.  Mr. 


SUB  SCR  IB  E  R  S. 

Mr.  Benjamin  Chapman, ,  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Thomas  Chipman,  Salijbtiry. 

Mr.  Samuel  Chipman, 

Rev.  Mr.  John  Cleaveland,  Ipfaicb*  Maffachufetts. 

Rev.  Mr.  Ephraim  Clark,  Bofton. 

Mr.  Gideon  Clark,  Northampton. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Cleaveland,   Glocefter. 

Mr.  Ifrael  Clark,  Bethlem,  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Eliphalet  Clark. 

Mr.  Eliezer  Clark. 

Mr.  John  Mc'Cleare,  Phillippi^  New-York. 

Roland  Cotton,  Efq;  Wcburn^  Maffachufetts.. 

Mr.  Samuel  Coollidge,  Watertown. 

William  Cooke,  A.  B.  Danbuvy^  Connecticut. 

Rev.  Mr.  Jofiah  Cotton,    Woburn*    Maffachufetts. 

Mr.  Hezekiah  Corry,  Salt/bury ,  Connecticut.  6  Books, 

Mr.  Samuel  Colver. 

Mr.  Daniel  Cooke,  Newton,  Maffachufetts. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Couch,  Reading^  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Benjamin  Covels,  Canaan. 

Mr.  Daniel  Curtifs,   Woodbury. 

Mr.  Alexander  Cunningham,  Bofton,  2  Books. 

D. 

"D  Ev.  Mr.  Jofeph  Davis,  Holden,  Maffachufetts. 

"  Napthali  Dagget,  A.  B.  Long-IJland,  New-Tork. 
John  Darbe,  A.  B. 
Mr.  William  Dawfe,  BoSton. 

Mr.  Nathanael  Dean, ,  Connecticut.  2  Books. 

John  Dickinfon,  Efq-, New-Tor^   6  Books. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Downs,   Woodbury ',  Connecticut. 
Mr.  John  Durant,  jun.  Bofton. 

Mr.  Benjamin  Dunton ,  Connecticut.    6  Books. 

Mr.  Benjamin  Dunning,   Newtown. 

Mr.  Daniel  Dudley,  Bethlem. 

Mr.  Warman  Durican. 

Timothy  Dwight,  Efq-,  Northampton,  Maffachufetts, 


Mr, 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

E. 

-  Jonathan  Eames,  Cambridge. 
Rev.  Mr.  Jonathan  Edwards,  Northampton.  3  Books. 
Mr.  James  Eddy. 

Rev.  Mr.  Jofeph  Emerfon,  Maiden. 
Rev.  Mr.  Daniel  Emerfon,//0//tt,  New-HampJhire.  2Books. 
Rev.  Mr.  Jofeph  Emerfo  ,  Groton. 

Mr.  Jofiah  Evers,   ,  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Cleare  Everite, New- Tor 'k. 

F. 

IV/fR-  George  Farrar,  Student  at  Harvard-Collcdcre. 

*  Mr.  William  Fallafs,  Bo/Ion. 

Mr.  William  FefTenden,Mafter  of  the  Grammar- School  in 
Deacon  Grafton  Feaveryear,  Boflon.  ( Cambridge. 

Mr.  Ephraim  Fellows,  Canaan^  Connecticut. 
Mr.  William  Fitch,   Canterbury, 
ElifhaFifli,  A.  B.  Cambridge.  " 
Mr.  David  Field,   Deerfield. 
Rev.  Mr.  Thomas  Foxcroft,  Boflon. 

Mr.  Mark  Fowler,   ,  Connecticut. 

Mr.  John  Franklen. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Froft,  Cambridge. 

Mr.  Gideon  Froft. 

Mr.  Edmund  Froft,  jun. 

Mr.  Amos  Fuller,  Salfbury^  Connecticut. 

G. 

]V/[R.  John  Gay, ,  Connecticut.  2  Books. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Gay. 
Mr.  Jonathan  Garnfy,   Weftbury. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Garnfy,  Bethlem. 
Mr.  Peter  Garnfy, 
Mr.  William  Gaylord,  New-Milford. 

Mr.  John  Gazlay, New-Tork. 

Mr.  Jofhua  Giteau,  Bethlem,  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Francis  Gitteau,  1 2  Books. 

Mr.  Ifaac  Goodale,  Northampton. 

Mr.  Waitftill  Goodrick  Betblem,  Connecticut. 

Mr.  John  Gordon,  Valentown,  24  Books, 


SUBSRIBERS. 

Rev.  Mr.  John  Graham,  Southbury. 

Mr.  John  Gray. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Graves,  Cold-Spring,  Maffacbufetts. 

Mr.  Elijah  Grant,  Litcbjield,  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Jofeph  Gregory,  Pbittipfi,  Neiv-Tork,  6  Books. 

Mr.  Jofhua  Greenleaf,  Newfrury,  Maffacbufetts. 

Mr.  Timothy  Greenleaf. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Gridley,  Farmingtown,  Connecticut. 

H. 


t>  Ev.  Mr.  Elias  Haven, 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Hanchet,  Salifbury,  Connecticut, 
Gideon  Hawley,  A.  B.  Stratfield,  6  Books. 
Mr.  Ebenezer  Hamblin. 
Mr.  Conftant  Havens,  Long-JJland,  New-Tork. 
Mr.  James  Hains. 
Mr.  Nathan  Hallfey. 
Mr.  Ifrael  Hallfey. 

Mr.  Daniel  Hausford,  Canaan,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Daniel  Hausford,  jun. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Hawley,  Reading,  6  Books. 
Mr.  James  Hamilton,  Litcbfield. 
Mr.  Hugh  Hannah,  Eetblem. 
Mr.  James  Hannah. 

Mr.  Jofeph  Haven,  Framing  bam,  Maffacbufetts* 
Mr.  Elkanah  Haven,    2  Books. 
Mr.  Samuel  Harris,  Newbury. 
Jonathan  Haftings,  M.  A.  Cambridge. 
Mr.  Barzilla  Hendee,  Betbkm>  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Bartholomew  Heath. 
Noah  Hinman,  ^L^Woodbury. 
Mr.  David  Hide.  —  —  - 
Mr.  Benjamin  Hitchcock,  Bethlcm. 
Mrs.  Sufannah  Hill. 
Mr.  Ahira  Hill. 
Mr.  Jacob  Hill,  Cambridge. 
Mr.  Jonathan  Hill. 

Rev.  Mr.  Ivory  HoVey,  Rocbefter,  12  Books. 
Mr.  William  Homes,  Bofton^  ^  Books. 

Hezekiah 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

Hezekiah  Hooker,  Efq-,   Betblem,   Connecticut. 

Mr.  Hezekiah  Hooker,  jun. 

Mr.  JefTe  Hooker. 

Mrs.  Abigail  Hooker. 

Mr.  Elifha  Howell. 

Mr.  David  Holcomb,  Canain. 

Mr  Ebenezer  Houlchet,  Salijbury. 

Mr.  Ifrael  Holiey,  jun. 

Mr.  Samuel  Hopkins.  

Mr.  Edward  Howell,  Long- I/land,  New-Fork. 
Mr.  Arthur  Howell. 

Mr.  Samuel  Holliiler,  jun. Ccnnefticut. 

Ephraim  Hubbel,  Efq-, 

Mr.  John  Hubbard, 

Mr.  Samuel  Hutchinfon. 

Mr.  Reuben  Hyberd,  Betblem. 

I. 

A/fR.  Samuel  Jackfon,  Litcbfield^  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Stephen  Jagger,  Long-IJland,Netw-2~ork. 
Mr.  Ifaac  JefTup. 

Mr.  Mathew  St.  John, Conm&icut. 

Rev.  David  Judfon,  Newtown. 
Mrs.  Rachel  Judd,  Bethlem. 
Mr.  Ifaac  Judfon,  Woodburj. 

K:. 

A/TR.  James  KafTon,  0Wfcry,  Cwntftiwt. 

1  Rev.  Elifha  Kent,  Pbitippi,  New-Fork,  6  Books. 
Capt.  Caleb  Kenrick,  Newton,  Ma/acbufetts. 
Deacon  Jonathan  Kelfey,  Bctblem, 
Mr.  John  Kernickerbacker. 
Mr.  Samuel  Keeler,  Rid&Jield. 
'TMr.  Benjamin  Kellogg^  Canaan. 
Mr.  Thomas  Kidder,  Cambridge, 
Mr.  Joifithan  Kingdey, 
Mr.  Supply  Kingfley. 
Mr.  John  ^neeland,  Bofton, 
Mr,  Nathanael  Kneeland» 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

L. 

TV/TR.  Edward  Langdon,  jun.  Bofton, 
Mr.  Caleb  Lamibn,  Cbarleftown. 
Mr.  Ifaac  Lawrence,  Canaan,  Connecticut. 
Rev.  Mr.  Nathanael  Leonard,  Plymouth,  Majfacbufetts. 
Rev.  Mr.  Jonathan  Lee,  Salijbury,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Lee. 
Mr.  William  Lee. 
Mr.  Ebenezer  Lewis,  Betblem. 
Mr.  Ebenezer  Little,  Newbury,  Maffacbufetts. 
Mr.  Simeon  Lyman,  Salijbury,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  David  Lyman,  Betblem. 

M. 

.  Jofeph  Mann,  Bo/ton, 

Mr.  Jonas  Marih,  Canaan,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Samuel  Marfhal,  Betblem. 
Mr.  Thomas  Marfhal,  Bofton,  2  Books. 
Mr.  Eliakim  Merrel,  New-Hartford,  Connefticut,  3  Books. 
Mr.  John  Mead,  Newton^  Ma/acbufetts. 
Mr.  Edward  Merret,  jun.  Cambridge. 
Mr.  James  Merrit,  Betblem,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  John  Meigs. 

Deacon  Samuel  Minor,  Woodbury^  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Miller. 
Mr.  Benjamin  Milliken,  Black-Point, 
Mr.  David  Mitchcl,  Cambridge. 
Mr.  David  Mitchcl,  jun.  Student  at  Harvard-Cottegc. 
Jedidiah  Mills,  jun.  A.  B.  Stratfeld,  Connecticut,  isBooks. 
Mrs.  Either  Mitchel,  Woodbury. 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Minor,  Betblem. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Mirrick, Ncw-Tork. 

Mr.  Samuel  Morfe,  Cambridge. 

Mr.  William  Morfe. 

Samuel  Moody,  M.  A.  Newbury. 

Mr.  John  Moulten,  Neivbury. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Munger,  Betblem,  Connecticut. 

Mr,  Daniel  Munger, 

G  g  Capt. 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

N. 

("jApt.  Thomas  Newcomb, New-Tork. 

Mr.  Jofeph  Northrop,   Ridgefield,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Benjamin  Northrop,  Newtown. 

O. 

TV/I R.  Samuel  Orlen,  Litchfield,  Connecticut. 
'  Mr.  Benjamin  Ofbern, 

Mr.  Cornelius  Ofborn, New-York. 

Mr.  John  Owen,  Simfbwy>  Connecticut,  1 5  Books. 

P. 

T>  Ev.  Mr.  Jonathan  Parfons,  Newbury,  Maffachufetts,  12 
*  Mr.  Noah  Parfons,  Northampton^  6  Books.       (Books 
Mr.  Jofeph  Parfons, 

Mr.  Jehiel  Pardee, Connecticut. 

Mr.  John  Pardee, 

Mr.  John  Pardee,  jun.   

Deacon  Jofiah  Peck,  Danbury,  Connecticut.  3  Books. 

Mr.  Mofes  Peek,  Bofton. 

Mr.  Ifaael  Peck,   Canaan^  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Michael  Perrey,  Woodbury* 

Mr.  Eliflia  Perry,   Ridgefield. 

Mr-.  Richard  Peet,  Bethlem. 

Mr.  Edward  Phelps,  Litchfield. 

Mr.  Eleazer  Phillips,  Charleftown,  Maffac  hufetts. 

Job  Pierfon,.Efq;  Long-Jfland,  Neiv-Tork.   6  Books. 

Mr.  David  Pierfon. 

Mr  Jofiah  Pierfon. 

Mr.  Abraham  Pierfon. 

Mr.  James  Pierce,  Charleftown,  Majfachufetts. 

Mr.  Nathan  Pierce>  Newbury. 

Rev.  Mr.  John  Porter,  Bridgewater. 

Mr.  Elifha  Pomroy,  Northampton. 

Mr.  Nathaniel  Porter,  jun   Bethlem ,  Connecticut, 

Rev.  Mr.  Thomas  Prince,  Bofton.  6  Books. 

William  Prefton,  Efq-,  Woodbury. 

Mr.  Samuel  Prindle,  Ccwa&n.>  Connecticut* 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

Deacon  Henry  Prentice,  Cambridge. 

Mr.  Henry  Prentice. 

Mr.  Jonas  Prentice. 

Mr.  Daniel  Prentice. 

Mr.  Caleb  Prentice. 

Mr.  John  Prodet,  jun,  Bofton. 

R. 

A/fR-  -James  Read,   Cambridge. 

1  Mr.  Mofes  Reed, Conntfticut. 

Ifaac  Royal,   Efq-,  Charleftown. 
Rev.  Mr.  Daniel  Rogers,  Exeter,  New-HampJhire. 
Rev.  Mr.  Nathaniel  Roberts,  Torrington,  18  Boofo>- 
Mr.  Stephen  Rofliter,  Litchfield. 

Mr.  Samuel  Robbins,  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Jabez  Rockwell,   Ridgefield. 

Mr.  David  Rockwell. 

Mr   JefTe  Roots,  Woodbury- 

Mr.  Daniel  Roberts, New-Tor k. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Ruft,  Northampton,  Maffachufetts. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Ruflell,  Connefficut. 

Mr.  John  Ruflell,   Long-  I/land,  New-York. 
Mr.  John  Rumril,  Woodbury,  ConneRuut. 

S, 

"D  Ev.  Mr. Sacket,  Bedford^  ConnefticuL^S  E.Qoks 

Mr.  Jofeph  Sanford,  Litchfield 
Mr.  Zechariah  Sanford,  Long-Ifland,  New-York. 
Reverend  Jofeph  Sewall,  D.  D.  Bofton. 
Rev  Mr.  John  Searl,  Sharon^  Connecticut    6  Books. 
Mr  Benjamin  Shelden,  Northampton^  Maffacbiifetts. 
Mr.  Daniel  Shearman,  Woodbury,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Samuel  Shearman,  Philippi,  New-York. 

Mr.  Nathanael  Skinner, Connecticut ,  6  -Booki 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Skinnner,   Jun.  Bolton?    6  Books. 

Mr.  Nathanael  Skinner,  2  Books. 

Mr  Samuel  Slater,  Bethkm. 

Obadiah  Smith,  Efq^  Long-Ijland^  New-York. 

G  g  2  Deliver  A  r.  -. 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

Deliverance  Smith,  A.  B. Connecticut* 

Mr.  Samuel  Smedley,  Litchfield> 

William  Smith,  A.  B.  Long-IJland,  New-Fork. 

Mr.  Daniel  Smith,  jun. 

Mr.  Jofeph  Smith,  Newtown^  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Thomas  Soden,  Cambridge. 

John  Sprague,  Efq-, New-York    6  Books. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Sprague, Connecticut. 

Mr.  Ebenzer  Sprague, Connecticut. 

Mr.  Reuben  Spaulding,   Canaan. 

Mr.  William  Spencer,  Salisbury. 

Capt.  Jofiah  Starr,   Danbury. 

Mr.  Comfort  Starr,  Danbury,  Merchant.   12  Books. 

Mr.  Daniel  Starr,  Danbury^  Merchant 

Mr.  Nathan  Starr,  Student  at  Yale-College. 

Capt.  Elifha  Stoddard,  Woodbury. 

Mr.  Elifha  Steel,   Betblcm. 

Mr.  Solomon  Steel, 

Mr.  Luke  Stebbins,  Springfield,  Maffachuftfts.   2  Books. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Stedman,  Cambridge. 

Capt  Caleb  Strong,  •  '  v-  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Jofiah  Stoddard,  Saltfbury. 

Mr    Jofiah  Strong 

Mrs  Anne  Stone,  Bethlem. 

Mr   Samuel  Strong. 

Mr.  Rowland  Swcatland, Connecticut. 

Mr  John  Symmes,  Bo/Ion. 

T. 

J?  Ev.  Mr  Nathanael  Taylor,  New-Milford,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Moles  Taft,   Student  at  Harvard-College. 

Mr  Tunis  Tappin,  New-York 

Mr  Zebtilun  Taylor,  Litcbfield^  Connecticut 

Capt.  Robert  Tammage,  New-Haven.  6  Books. 

Mr.  Ezra  Terril!,  Woodbury. 

Mr  Rccornpence  Thomas,    Ridgefield 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Thompfon,  Erthkm^   Connecticut. 

Mr. 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

Mr.  William  Thomas,   Marlborougb,  Majfachufctts. 
Mr.  Enoch  Titcomb,  Jun.  Newbury. 
Jofiah  Topping,  A  B.  Long-IJland,  New-Tork. 
Henry  True,  Ar  B-    Cambridge* 

Mr.  William  Tucker,  Connecticut* 

Mr.  John  Twifs,  Woodbury, 

V. 

£O1.  L.  Vankleeck, New-Tork. 

Theodorus  Vanwyck,  Efq, New.-Tork.  12  Books, 

W. 

A/f  R.  Ifaac  Watibn,  Cambridge. 
LY1  Mr.  Jacob  Watfon. 
Mrs.  Rofannah  Watfon,  Betblem^  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Jofiah  Waters,  Bofton.    ^   Books, 
Mr.  Benjamin  Webfter,  Litchfield,   Connecticut. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Weeks,  Dorcefttr*  Ma/acbufetts. 
Rev.  Mr.  Ebenezer  White,  Danbury^  Connecticut.  7Books. 
Rev.  Mr.  Sylvanus  White,  Long-IJland,  New-Tork. 
Capt  David  Whitney,  Canaan,  Connecticut* 
Deacon  Jabez  Whitdefey,  Bethlem. 
Mr.  Samuel  Whitney,   Canaan. 
Mr.  William  Whitney. 
Mr.  David  Whitney,  Jun. 
Mr.  Jofiah  Whittleley,  Bethlem. 
Deacon  Samuel  Whittemore,  Cambridge. 
Benjamin  White,   M.  A.  Brookline. 
Mr.  Jonathan  White,  H^eymouth. 
Mr.  Elnathan  White,  Long-IJland,  New-Tork. 
Mr.  Ebenezer  White,  jun. 

TheHon.JofiahWillard^fqi  Secretary  oftheMaffacbufetts. 
Mr.  John  Willard,  Student  at  Harvard-College. 
John  Williams,  Efq;  Sharon,  Connecticut.  2  Books. 
Mr.  William  Winter,  Bofton. 
Mr.  Noah  Wifwall,  Newton,  Ma/acbufetts. 
Mr.  John  Woodhull,  Lovg-IJland,  New-Tork. 
Mr,  David  Woodruff.  Mr. 


S  U 


C  R  IB  E  R  S. 


Mr.  Charles  Woodruff,  Litchfeld,  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Jacob  Woodruff. 

Mr.  Benjamin  Woodruff. 

Mr.  Gideon  Woodwell,   Newbury,  Majfachufetts. 

Mr.  Noah  Wright,  Northampton. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Wright,  -  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Wyeth,  Cambridge. 

Mr.  John  Wyeth. 

Y. 

T>  Ev.  Mr.DavidYoungs,L0«£-$W,  New-York.  3  Books, 
Anthony  Yolverton,  Efq-,  - 


N.  B.  If  there  Jhould  be  any  of  the  Names  in  the  foregoing  Lift 
without  their  proper  Titles ,  wrong  fpelt^  or  Places  of  Abode 
not  right  inferted,  we  dejire  to  be  excufed. 

And,  as  on  a  careful  revifal  of  the  foregoing  Pages  we  have  not 
obferved  any  material  Errata^  except  a  few  Literals^ 
we  hope  the  candid  Reader  will  excufe  the  fame  ;  especially 
confidering  the  Author's  Diftance  from  the  Prefs^  and  fo  had 
not  the  Advantage  of  bis  Perufal. 


